After All This Time
by TrueLove67
Summary: Originally entitled Finding You Again. Lucas, Nathan and Haley have been best friends since childhood. After Nathans attitude changes in high school and him and Haley drift apart, can the two find their way back? Can she forgive him? Naley. Laley friendship centric. AU. Updated 9/12/19 !
1. My Introduction

_**Hey guys, so this story used to be entitled Finding You Again. I started it back in 2007 and recently found motivation to continue it, however I really need to change the plot line/direction it was heading in so I can continue. I was in such a different place all those years ago than I am now. I recieved alot of great feedback from the original version so I didn't want to give up on it, I just needed to give it a few updates. **_

_**I hope you all will give it a chance! Please R/R. Your feedback means everything!**_

_**Intro: Nathan, Haley and Lucas have been best friends since the early days of childhood. Nathan and Haley began to drift apart during highschool due to his increasing popularity and eventually become starngers. With some help from Lucas, can they find their way back to eachother? Peyton went to highschool with the 3, but Brooke is introduced during college. Taylor is Haleys sister and she is married to Clay. Lydia and Jimmy are Haley and Taylors parents, and Dan is Jimmys brother. Karen and Andy are Nathan and Lucas' parents. I think everything else will be explained. Please be aware that some of the themes are dark. **_

_**I own nothing! **_

_Haley knocked on the wooden door, swallowing hard when she heard his voice echo through from the other side._

_"Come in"_

_She pushed the door open and stepped inside, not bothering to close it behind her._

_Nathan was seated at his desk, his focus on the computer screen in front of him. She could see the tension sink into his shoulders when he realized it was her, and she sighed._

_"What do you want?"_

_"I guess I deserved that" Haley sat on the edge of his bed, his back still facing her. An awkward silence settled through the room and after a few minutes Haley felt as if she would suffocate if something didn't break it._

_"I'm sorry"_

_Nathan sighed frustrated and logged off the computer. He spun around in his chair, his eyes connecting with a nervous looking Haley. "I don't understand why you freaked out. You're the one always telling me to go after my dreams and not to let anything stand in the way. And the one time I do you bite my head off and tell me I'm not good enough" He paused, running a hand through his black hair anxiously. "I mean really, does that make any sense to you? I'm always there for you and the one time I need you to tell me I'm doing the right thing, this is how you act"_

_Haley sat still, her eyes downcast not being able to meet his gaze. The guilt was starting to settle in overdrive, and the knots in her stomach were making it unbearable._

_"Look Haley, I'm tired so if you're not going to say anything could you just leave so ..." Nathan started but was cut off._

_"I'm sorry about what I said okay?!" She exclaimed, jumping up off the bed and pacing around the room. "I didn't mean any of it" Haley shook her head, and took a deep breath before stepping closer to Nathan. "I'm so proud of you. You're finally going to let everyone see how talented you are, and I couldn't be happier for you. I know you're going to be great."_

_Nathan smiled slightly at her words. "Then what's going on?"_

_"I'm scared" She admitted quietly. She was standing in front of him now, their knees touching as he was still seated in his desk chair. "I'm scared that basketball will bring you into this whole new world, and there won't be room for me in it"_

_"Hales..."_

_"Just let me say this, please?" She asked and Nathan nodded signaling for her to continue._

_"You know how most of the guys on the team act, and I just don't want you to change into that. You mean everything to me Nate, and I'm just scared of losing you" Haley shook her head and laughed slightly. "God I'm like the most selfish person ever, huh?"_

_Nathan stood and reached his hand out, gently wiping away the tears that were making their way down her cheeks. "Haley you know how much I love basketball right?"_

_She nodded._

_"Well it doesn't come anywhere close to how much I love you. Basketball is just a game, and me joining the team won't change that fact. I'm playing because I miss being on the same team as Lucas. When he started playing for the team, that didn't change your friendship with him. You guys are still as close as ever. And it will be the same for us. You will always be in my life Haley, no matter what, nothing will ever change that. You're my best friend, you'll always come first" Nathan finished with a smile and laughed when Haley threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight._

_"Promise it will always be me and you?"_

_"I promise" He whispered as he returned the hug and left a light kiss on her temple._

_And he had kept his promise, for awhile at least._

_End of flashback_

_'You only get out of this what you put in Haley' The older woman spoke softly but there was a sternness in her voice. 'We can sit here and talk about the weather for an hour. We can sit in silence. Or you can let go of whatever is holding you back and let me help you' _

_'What do you want me to say?' Haley sighed, running a hand through her long brown hair. She didn't want to be here. She didn't want to be anywhere. _

_'Say whatever you think will help you' She coaxed. _

_Haley watched as the other woman scrawled on her notepad. Probably writing how uncooperative she was. How she was incapable of help. How she didn't __want__ help. It wasn't that she didn't want to feel better. She did. On most days. But other days .. well the other days are what got her here in the first place. _

_Haley opened her mouth to speak but then hesitated. __This was stupid._

_'Just start at the beginning, Haley' _

_Haley rolled her eyes. The beginning was the last place she wanted to go. Wasn't describing the night Nathan promised it would always be the two of them enough of an indication of how painful the beginning actually was? It only got worse from there. Haley sighed again, this was pointless. She wanted to just get up and leave nobody was forcing her to stay. She looked from the older woman to the door and back again. __Just leave, Haley. __The thought was so persistent, she swore she was saying it aloud. Haley took a deep breath and let the words tumble out before she could stop herself. _

_The rest of freshman year was like nothing had changed. The only thing that was different was instead of spending Thursday nights at the movies I spent those watching Nathans games. He looked so happy on the court with Lucas, and I was happy for him. He was living his dream, and it was amazing to see it all unfold. That summer was supposed to be filled with days of lazing around the beach and just hanging out with one another. And then my parents were taking Lucas and Nathan with us to California to visit my older sister Taylor while she had some time off from college. That was the plan anyway, but they both had gotten accepted to this really prestigious basketball camp called High Flyers. So they went to their camp, and I went with my parents to California._

_Seeing Taylor again was really great, despite the age difference between us we still remained close. As good as it was to see her though I still missed Lucas and Nathan. Especially Nathan. When I got back to Tree Hill, I waited anxiously for them to come home. They were due back the week before school started, and I made sure I was the first one to see them after they arrived from the airport. When they walked through the door, they both looked like they could be Calvin Kline models or something. They each had bulked up a lot over the summer; I guess 8 weeks of nonstop practice has that effect. Along with Nathans new found muscles, he also adapted a new attitude. It seems that at High Flyers, people treated him more or less as a god. He was the only freshman ever admitted, after all. Instead of leaving his new status behind, he brought it home with him. Suddenly there were girls pawning over him all the time, and guys wanting to be his best friend. Lucas had always been used to all the attention, but his popularity sky rocketed as well. Suddenly they were the new it boys. The Hot Scotts._

_I guess that's when things started to change._

_After school started back up with Nathan and I in our sophomore year, and Lucas in his junior year, things only changed more. My friendship with Nathan became strained to say the least. Suddenly he had new obligations then his best friend. I guess I couldn't really blame him. If I was getting invited to all the weekend parties, and asked to sit with the so called cool people at lunch, I wouldn't let someone stand in the way of that. I mean I really would, but he didn't share that perspective. A few months into the year, he started dating Rachel Gatina. She was head cheerleader, and one of the most popular girls in school. I would have been happy for him, except to say that the girl hated me was the understatement of the decade. Her opinion of me couldn't have interested me any less, but somehow it began rubbing off onto Nathan. Whenever we would see each other he would be on me about trying out for cheerleading or joining a sports team. He said he just wanted me to experience new things, make more friends. But I knew he was staring to become embarrassed of me. After all, how could a Hot Scott be best friends with plain old Haley James? I told him that I wasn't going to change who I was just because he didn't like my social status. Somehow it escalated into a fight about Rachel and how we never hang out anymore; I told him his choice was simple. Me or her. The next day he didn't show up by my locker, or wait for me after class. The day after that he walked passed me in the hall like I wasn't even there. And by the end of sophomore year, we were like complete strangers. Needless to say, he chose her. I shouldn't have given him an ultimatum, I didn't even really mean to. The words just came out. But when I realized that he chose her, I was too hurt to take them back. _

_I had lost my best friend, and it was Lucas who helped me to deal with that fact. Unlike Nathan who got lost in the stereotypes of high school, Lucas stayed true to himself. Sure, he indulged in his popularity every so often, but he never left my side. My junior year came and went and Nathan and I didn't utter a single syllable to one another. If it wasn't for Lucas I honestly don't know where I would be right now. He helped me in so many ways; I don't think I could ever repay him. We became inseparable up until the day he left for college. He got accepted to UCLA on a basketball scholarship, and was majoring in literature. I was happy for him, he deserved the world and it seemed as if he was getting it. When he left, I was scared that it was happening all over again. That I was once again losing a best friend, but Lucas promised he would call and come visit every chance he got. And this Scott kept his promise. It was ironic in a way, I felt closer to Lucas who was in a whole different state, than I did to Nathan who was just down the block. That summer went by pretty fast; I visited Taylor who had just finished up college and was moving in her with her fiancé Clay. The two had been high school sweethearts and stayed together though all four years of college without a single break up, everybody knew to expect wedding invitations so when he proposed, it was no big surprise. I was happy for her; she was living out her fairy tale life._

_When I returned to Tree Hill, I was left to face my senior year alone. Don't get the wrong idea about me, it's not like I didn't have any friends. I did. I just didn't have the connection with them that made everything seem okay no matter what. The kind of connection I had developed with Lucas, and once had with Nathan. Speaking of Nathan, he and Rachel had been dating on and off ever since sophomore year. From what I heard through the gossip mill was that they hooked up, broke up, dated other people, and then hooked up again. It seemed to always come back to them being together in the end though. As for basketball, he was at the top of his game. He had scouts looking at him from every state and colleges' making him offers to play for them. The way he was going, he would follow in Lucas' footsteps of getting a basketball scholarship. It's not like I particularly cared about this information but I didn't live under a rock. Everywhere I went in school it seemed somebody was talking about him. Not to mention that I was still extremely close with Karen and Andy, so the topic was bound to come up. Even if I wouldn't admit it aloud, I was happy his dreams were coming true. His life seemed to be perfect at any given moment._

_Mine on the other hand was starting to fall apart. My parents were fighting more than normal which made the 3 floor estate feel smaller than a studio apartment. They fought about every possible thing, from their failing marriage to what Mom had cooked for dinner. I started to dread going home and having to deal with all their yelling, so I picked up every extra shift at the café that I possibly could; which wasn't hard because it helped Karen out a lot with the holiday rush. I figured that it was just a typical period that people went through when they were married for so long. I mean they were bound to start fighting sometime right? I thought if I just gave them their space, it would pass. But it didn't. I came home one night after a double shift at the café to find a note taped to the counter._

_I love you, Haley_

_Those were the four words scribbled across the small piece of stationary paper. Four simple words and they changed my life forever. It's weird how something so incredibly small can have such a drastic impact. I found my father in his study later that night; he was sitting at his desk with a glass of wine in hand. I could see her wedding ring resting on the cherry wood and when our eyes connected, and I saw the raw pain reflecting through them; I knew she wasn't coming back._

_My emotions were a mess after that night. I hated her for leaving, but at the same time I just wanted her to come home so I could hug her one more time. I was either crying or breaking things. And just when I thought it couldn't possibly get any worse it did. Dads' brother Dan had been coming by the house more than ever. Him and Mom never got along so now that she was no longer around, he had an open invitation. He owned a car dealership outside of town and never got tired of flaunting his money. He never married or had kids, he had no interest in the domestic side of life. Dan was all about making money and hanging out with girls half his age. Mom never respected his lifestyle and Taylor and I never became close with him because of it. Dad would defend him, mostly out of brotherhood, but in the months after Mom left, they became best friends again. I hated how he would look at me when he was over. His eyes were always roaming over my body like I was one of the girls from his bars. It made me feel violated. Dad began spending a lot of time around the women in Dan's life and accompanying him to the parties he would go to. Almost like he was making up for lost time. He started drinking more and more. He went from having a glass of wine in the afternoon, to a glass of scotch while he worked in his office, to drinking the whole bottle before dinner. Then as soon as Dan would come over, they would just open another bottle. I know he started doing drugs, too. He would be blackout drunk at times and moments later be talking a mile a minute. I guess it was his way of dealing with the fact that his wife of 27 years had just left him. He was drinking through the pain. It was mildly reasonable at first. I thought that once he came to terms with it, he would go back to normal and I would get my Dad back, and Dan would disappear back to whatever hole he crawled out of. Because honestly I needed Dad then more than ever. But he didn't. The drinking got to the point where he was barely able to function anymore. I tried to talk to him about it, tried to explain how I needed him, how I couldn't keep it together on my own. Instead of listening though he did something that I never in my life thought he would._

_He hit me._

_The next day he apologized profusely and swore he never would again. He promised things would get better, but then again promises don't mean anything when you're too drunk to see straight and it's still before noon. Or too high to know what you're actually doing. This proved to be true, because the next night he didn't like the dinner I prepared and hit me again. By this time it was Christmas and Lucas was home one break. When he came over I told him about my Mom leaving last week. He was so confused. How had this happened? He asked why I didn't call and tell him sooner, and I just said it was because I was trying to figure things out on my own. I told him how Dan had been staying at the house a lot now. How him and Dad would drink and do whatever drugs Dan was supplying. Lucas hated this fact. He knew that we were never close with Dan. He knew the reasons. I tried so desperately to cover the evidence across my body with makeup, but I was never able to truly hide anything from Lucas. When he asked how I got the bruise under my eye I thought about saying how I bumped into a cabinet, but something compelled me to tell him the truth. And I did. As soon as the words left my mouth he went ballistic, yelling how I had to turn him into the police and how I couldn't stay here. I couldn't do that though, and I knew I had to start making up excuses. I managed to calm Lucas down and went through a story of how it only happened once and it was because he was drunk and having a hard time dealing with my Mom. I felt guilty about lying to him but I had no choice. If the police got involved they would take him away and I would be completely alone. I couldn't let that happen. And I couldn't let Lucas get hurt trying to protect me. Lucas made me swear to him that if my Dad ever hit me again that I would call him and then the police. I promised. After that he held me, he let me cry on his shoulder and vent about how I felt like I was losing control of my life. He told me that he would always be there for me no matter what, and I believed him._

_Christmas came and the Scotts celebrated together. Both Karen and Lucas invited me to join, but I politely declined. I couldn't face Nathan. So I stayed home with the Christmas tree that for the first time didn't hold presents under it, while my Dad and Dan celebrated doing God knows what elsewhere. Lucas left a few days after, citing he had to get back to practice. He made me promise once again that I would call him if I needed anything, and once again I did. Taylor and Clay came down right after New Years to visit. They had spent the holidays with Clay's family and in that moment I was so envious of my sister. She was gaining a new family while her old one completely fell apart. When I first told her about Mom leaving over the phone she offered to come home that same day, but I told her there was no need. I told her that we were handling things here and we would see her when she originally planned to come. I didn't want her dropping everything in her life for us. My dad didn't deserve it, and I didn't need it._

_Clay was even sweeter then I remembered and I was excited that in a few months I would officially be able to call him my brother in law. The week that they stayed with us was nice. Jimmy and Dan made their guest appearances but they were out for the most part. When Taylor would try talk to him about what was going on, Jimmy would just mumble a response and take another sip of his drink. He never stayed long enough to finish a conversation. I knew Taylor was concerned, I knew she understood things were much worse than I had let on. But I assured her I was okay and that Jimmy would get through this slump. Jimmy still hit me most nights, trapped in a fog of liquor and probable cocaine. I refused to call him Dad anymore, because this man who drinks constantly and hits his youngest daughter isn't my father. I broke my promise by not calling Lucas, but I didn't feel guilty about it anymore because I knew the moment he found out he would fly out here to be with me, to protect me. And I didn't want him putting school and basketball on hold because of me. It wasn't fair to him and I would never ask that of him. So each night when we spoke on the phone and he said __"So things are still okay at home?"__ I simply agreed. The first time I had to go to the hospital was a particularly hard night. I hated how bad things had become, hated even more that I was beginning to lose hope. I didn't see a way of coming back from this anymore. I had 3 fractured ribs. I recited a story of how I had fallen down the last few steps to the nurse. It was the truth, I just left out the part of being pushed for not walking fast enough. It was so strange how things could change. We weren't always a perfect family, very far from it. Taylor was closer with Jimmy than I was growing up. But even then she could see his temper, which was part of the reason she chose to go out of state for school. Still, how was he rationalizing that I was somehow to blame for Lydia leaving? If anything, it was him. Mom became Lydia now as well because somewhere along the lines I started blaming her for Jimmy's behavior. Neither of them were acting as parents anymore, neither of them wanted the title. _

_As the year progressed I found a new friend in Peyton Sawyer. She was a cheerleader which is probably why we never really talked before. We had the same Trig class 3rd semester and she asked if I could help her out on some of the problems. I agreed and soon after that we found that we had a lot in common. My first assumption of her being just another brainless blonde cheerleader was entirely wrong. She was amazingly talented at drawing and held a deep passion for music. We became close and I found that I liked having a female friend. I was so used to only hanging out with Nathan and Lucas, it was nice to be able to talk about shopping and what boys we thought were cute. Even though Peyton might not know it, she got me through some of my hardest days._

_College letters began arriving and when I got my acceptance letter to UCLA on a full academic scholarship I couldn't have been happier. I called Lucas within the next second and told him the good news, he said he always knew that I would get in. UCLA was really the only school I wanted to get into. I would be with Lucas and it would give me a chance to move to the same state as my sister and Clay. Not to mention that Peyton had also gotten accepted, it was the perfect school. Peyton and I were supposed to go out that night and celebrate, but she had gotten a phone call from her Dad. He worked overseas on a fishing boat and they never really got a chance to talk much, so of course I understood when she took a rain check on celebrating. It didn't alter my mood one bit though, I was the happiest I think I've ever been. In a few short months I would be starting at one of the best colleges in the country with Peyton and my best friend at my side. And needless to say getting out of Tree Hill and away from Jimmy and Dan was a cause for celebration all on its own. Nothing could ruin my happiness. School was officially over and I was valedictorian. Graduation was only a few days away and Lucas was coming down to watch it. Taylor and Clay were even coming. I was never so anxious before._

_And then it happened._

_Jimmy had come home drunk as usual, with Dan in tow. But something was different this time. He was angry, not only at me, but with Dan too. They had spent awhile arguing downstairs, their voices echoing through the house. I don't know what the problem was, but they kept referring to some girl from a bar they had been at previously. I remember thinking how pathetic they sounded, arguing about a girl who was probably more interested in the drugs and money than the two of them. The door slammed and I thought they both had left. I walked to the top of the staircase to see if anybody was still there, but Dan was already on his way up. I tried to shut my door again but he moved so fast. He came into my room and was yelling about how I was going to leave Jimmy now, just like my mother. That we were the reason for Jimmy's troubles. So ironic considering the trouble started when he showed up. I tried to run out but I couldn't, he blocked my way each time. I was never so sacred before. The look in his eyes it was so dark, menacing. He was almost unrecognizable. He was mumbling something about being able to get any girl that he wanted, that he was the one with the power. Nothing he said made sense. He pushed me and I fell backwards onto the bed, I expected him to turn and stumble away but instead he came closer. I tried to scream but his hand came down to cover my mouth. The next thing I knew he was on top of me and my arms were pinned above my head. The next few minutes after that were all a blur. I remember when he was finished he just walked away, like nothing had happened. I remember putting my clothes back on and running out of the house as fast as I could. I remember seeing Jimmy passed out on the couch as I made my way towards the door. Unreal to think he came back in the middle and just went to sleep. I thought about waking him up, but was scared that would somehow make it worse. I had no idea what was happening anymore. I just knew I needed to get out of that house. Somehow I ended up on the Scotts doorstep and without hesitation I knocked, knowing Karen and Andy weren't coming back from Charlotte until the following night._

_The door opened and Nathan stood on the other side. __"I really need you, Nate"__ I remember choking out those words as the sobs racked my body. He just looked at me for a moment, like I was a ghost. I probably looked like one. He stepped towards me and I thought he was going to hug me, gather me in his arms like he had done countless times before and be there for me like he was when we first started high school. Instead he gently pushed the hair out of my face before leaving a soft kiss on my head and whispering __"Lucas is here" __in my ear. With those words he walked passed me and got into his car, disappearing down the driveway and into the darkened road. Before I could even figure out what had just happened, Lucas had me in his arms. He came out of nowhere. I could hear this awful screaming and it took me a moment to realize it was coming from me. Lucas looked terrified, he begged me to tell him what was happening. I couldn't get the words out though, I was sobbing uncontrollably and felt like I couldn't breathe. I kept grasping at his shirt, desperate to hold onto him tighter. Like if I didn't hold on for dear life, he would disappear. Lucas held me against him and we both sunk to the floor. I remember him telling me to 'Breathe Hales, just breathe'. But I couldn't, I felt like I was suffocating. Like I was drowning on dry land. I couldn't catch my breath no matter how many times I tried to slow down my heart rate. I crawled away from him towards the front door, literally on my hands and knees, and reached up to pull the door open. I needed air. It had started raining by that point and I just laid there, in a fetal position, gasping for air and getting soaked by the rain. And Lucas laid right alongside me. He wrapped his arms around me from behind and pulled me against his chest. It soothed me enough that I was no longer choking on my own tears. I don't know how long we stayed like that, but he never rushed me. When I finally stood up fully, he matched my stance and stayed in front of me. I knew my appearance was disheveled, but I didn't see the blood matted down legs until the same moment he did. He moved my arms away from my chest and could see my shirt was torn. I couldn't make eye contact with him, I kept watching the blood trickle from my thighs down the length of my legs. He moved my chin to face him and when our eyes finally connected, he was the one to choke back tears. I didn't have to utter the words of what happened, I could tell he knew. He wouldn't make me say it aloud. Lucas pulled me closer to him again, he just kept whispering that it was going to be okay because he would protect me now. And he did. He saved my life that night. Had Nathan walked away without Lucas being there, I don't know what would have happened. But I do know that the way I was feeling, I was on track for not waking up the next day. It scared me how okay I was with that thought. There's only so much loneliness a person can take. Lucas begged me to call the police or go to the hospital but I refused. I didn't want anybody to know, I didn't want to talk about it. Lucas knew when to stop insisting, he always knew my limits. For a moment I thought he was going to make the call himself, but he didn't. Instead he sat on the bathroom floor while I showered. And when I collapsed into the bathtub, my knees drawn to my chest as the sobs racked my body again, he cried with me. I stayed with him that night, neither of us slept at all, but we lay intertwined in his bed and that was comforting enough. I felt so defeated, so broken. But with Lucas there, at least I recognize some concept of hope. _

_The next day Lucas brought me to the house. I didn't want to go inside at first, but he held my hand and promised it would be quick. He helped me pack all my stuff up into two piles. One of what I would be taking with me to California and one of what I would be putting into storage. We loaded all of the boxes into Nathans Ford Explorer, which he had borrowed. I was hoping to be out of the house before Jimmy, or worse, Dan, came home, but we weren't. I remember that as soon as he walked in the door, half drunk, Lucas lunged at him. He just kept punching him and calling him a bastard. He screamed over and over again 'Where is Dan? Huh?'. Jimmy never answered but each time Lucas said his name I felt like I was going to be sick. After a minute Jimmy began to hold his own and started throwing punches back at Lucas. I remember running up to them and trying to pull them apart, but just getting shoved aside in the process. I was screaming at them to stop and when they finally broke apart I grabbed Lucas' hand and tried to pull him out of the house; pleading with him to just let it go. As we were stepping through the doorway I gave Jimmy one last look. He had cuts all over his face and his hand was placed over his ribs. I hated him with every cell in my body. I hated him for making Lydia leave. I hated him for hurting me. I hated him for making me lie to Lucas. I hated him for bringing Dan into our home. I hated him for not protecting me. I think I hated him more than I ever once loved him. He stared at me and when he opened his mouth as if to say something, I walked out. I moved in with Peyton that night, telling her I had a falling out with Jimmy. She was more than welcoming._

_Lucas didn't want to leave, he didn't want to go back to California with me still in shambles in Tree Hill. I was comforted by the fact that if I asked him to stay, I knew he would. I didn't deserve him. I reminded him it was only 2 weeks until graduation and then I would see him for the ceremony. I promised him that I was okay. I wasn't. But I was determined to heal. Somewhere within those late nights with Lucas, he was able to remind me of how much time I still had to explore this world. I didn't feel so trapped anymore. I knew this was my time to get out of this town, to get of the nightmare that consumed my life the last year. I'll forever be thankful for that reminder. Lucas left and I spent my time with Peyton. We grew closer and even though I never disclosed the details of what was going on, she had a special way of comforting me. She and Lucas had that in common. We planned a trip together for the summer and it gave me something to look forward to when the thoughts started to become too much. It wasn't so much that I was excited about a vacation, I was excited to see how big the world truly was and what else it had to offer. _

_I along with Peyton, Nathan, Rachel and the rest of the senior class graduated on a Sunday. While I was giving my customary Valedictorian speech, my eyes locked on Lucas and despite everything that I had been though that year, I knew I would be okay now. When the time came for all the graduates to throw their caps up in the air, I stood with Peyton and we laughed uncontrollably because we were so excited. We shared a hug and she whispered in my ear __"It's your time, now." __She gave me a knowing look and I simply smiled. She was right. As Peyton went to talk with some friends from cheerleading, my eyes found Nathan. He was standing a few feet away and our eyes instantly connected. I didn't realize how much I missed him until that moment. All I wanted to do was run over and hug him, feel his arms wrap around me and for him to kiss my cheek like he used to do. But I knew none of that would happen. I hated him for not being there for me, but I hated the situation even more._

_Lucas appeared in front of me and I jumped into his arms. He picked me up and spun us around, our laughter filling the air. When I looked back to the spot where Nathan had been, he was gone. Taylor and Clay came up to us and they each gave me a hug. When my sister inquired about where our father was I shrugged and rattled off some excuse about him working or being hungover. I never did tell Taylor the extent of how bad things were, or anything that went on with Dan. In a way I thought I was protecting her. Another part of me simply recognized it as I was too weak to do so. Like if I continued to speak about it, it would somehow become real. Karen and Andy made their way over next and they too gave me a hug. They congratulated me on being valedictorian and went on to say how happy they were I would be attending the same college as Lucas._

_He along with Karen, Andy, Taylor and Clay all wore smiles of pride on their faces. As did I. I was proud of myself. I was proud that I had enough strength to get through this nightmare of a year. It gave me the confidence that I needed to believe in myself more. Things were still broken, I was still damaged. But I knew these adventures that I was about to embark on would help. I knew that if I could get through it all while being in Tree Hill, I could only manage even better outside of it. High School ended but my story hasn't. Next week I'm off to Italy for the summer with Peyton. After that it's UCLA where I'll major in literature with Lucas while Peyton studies art. As for Nathan? He has gotten a full ride for basketball to Duke, UNC, and UCLA. It's undecided which school he'll attend. I wish him the best of luck in life. At the end of the week I'm leaving Tree Hill along with everything in it behind. I'm going to start over in a new place, with new people. It's time to make new memories, time to let everything go that once held me back. _

'Thank you for sharing that, Haley' The woman spoke, studying Haley's behavior as she folded her hands on top of her notepad.

_Thank you? _Haley waited, expecting her to say more. The tense silence stretched between them and the white walls of the office began to feel like they were closing in.

'This was a waste of time' Haley retorted, getting up and heading towards the door.

The woman stood. 'Haley, please. There is only so much we can do in one session. I strongly urge you to reach out to a colleague of mine once you get to California' She scribbled a name and phone number on the pad and ripped off the paper, extending it towards Haley. 'Know that I think you're one of the strongest young women I have ever spoken to during my years here. You're courage to push forward is inspiring'. Her voice was softer now and she took a step closer. 'But please, those thoughts will come back. I strongly recommend that you continue the sessions once you set up in California. I believe it will help' She stated honestly.

Haley sighed, wiping away a stray tear that was falling down her cheek. 'I'll think about it' She grabbed the paper from the older woman's hand and folded it in half before shoving it into the back of her jeans. Without another word she turned on her heel and walked away, listening to the heavy door close behind her.

_It was time to move on._

**_What do you guys think? Please R/R x0Laura_**


	2. New Roomate

_**Im going to go ahead and post the chapters, I hope you guys are still interested in the story/like the changes that I've made. **_

_**Chapter 2: New Roomate**_

To sum up a summer in Italy with your best girl-friend in one word was nearly impossible. The only thing Haley could come up with was amazing. The simple word didn't do it justice though. The week after graduation Haley and Peyton said their good byes to Tree Hill and boarded a plane to Italy. After spending two months having the time of their life, they landed in California a week before school started, eager to start their college careers. Haley waved one last time to Peyton, watching as she disappeared through the doors of her dorm building, her suitcases rolling in behind her. As she sat back in the cab Haley handed the driver a small piece of paper with the address she had scribbled down earlier that day. He nodded, and within 15 minutes they pulled up to a large apartment complex.

"Thank you so much" Haley smiled gratefully at the middle aged man and handed him a $20.

The cab driver placed the last of her 3 suitcases down on the carpeted floor next to the door. He smiled back at her, accepting her generous tip. "Good luck with everything here" He waved goodbye and walked back down the hallway and into the elevator.

Haley took a deep breath as she stared at the white door in front of her. The gold 2303 reflected the hallway light, making it glimmer. Her small fist connected with the door once, twice and finally she could hear footsteps coming closer. A moment later Lucas appeared in the doorway dressed in loose fitting jeans and a long sleeved blue shirt. A smile stretched across his perfect lips and his blue eyes seemed brighter than ever.

Before she could stop herself Haley barreled towards him, wrapping her arms tight around his neck as he picked her up off the floor, spinning her around. Their laughter filled the quiet apartment and after a moment he became still, letting her slide back to the ground.

"God, I missed you" She breathed, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"I can tell" He teased before pulling her back into a tight embrace, happy to have his best friend back in his arms. As he pulled back, his eyes roamed over her body taking in every inch. Her black pumps elongated her tight jean clad legs, her black halter had risen up exposing a portion of her tanned flat stomach. Her highlighted auburn hair fell in soft waves down her back and her brown eyes glinted in shades of amber. Italy had definitely done her good.

"Haley you look amazing"

Her cheeks tinted with a crimson blush and she smiled lightly. "Still the relentless charmer I see"

Lucas chuckled. "Of course" He had been beyond worried about her the las few months. But she really seemed to be doing okay. It blew his mind. He knew she was still struggling through everything, but she put on a brave face. It was more than he thought anybody else could have done. Haley had begged him to leave the situation alone, he only obliged because he was genuinely worried what it would do to her if he hadn't.

She linked her arm within his and stepped further into the apartment. As she surveyed the room, her mouth dropped open in awe. The glossy hardwood floors extended throughout the large living room, and there were sliding glass doors that led to a small balcony, providing a gorgeous view of the ocean.

"This is unbelievable" She wasn't expecting anything like this, not at all. This was so glamorous, so perfect. Ever responsible Haley James got so caught up in her European escapade that she had put off securing a dorm room until the last minute. When she finally took the time to get all the information, there were no rooms available. She could afford a low budget apartment but being half way around the world she couldn't exactly go apartment shopping. Haley called Lucas in the midst of a panic attack and he had mentioned that he knew of an apartment she could stay in. He said a friend of his was looking for a roommate and he thought she would really love the space. Haley jumped at the opportunity, without even asking for details. It was either that or she would be living in a cardboard box for her first semester.

"And it's only the living room" Lucas winked, guiding her through the rest of the apartment. From the living room a hallway led into a spacious kitchen, the white washed cabinets contrasting all the stainless steel appliances. The first door further into the hallway was a small standard bathroom. The next door lead into a large bedroom and opposite that door sat another bedroom.

"Lucas did I ever mention how much I love you?" She squealed. "This is the most amazing apartment I have ever seen, there is no way I'm giving it up"

"I knew you would like it"

"So tell me about my roommate, how did you guys meet?"

"I've known him for awhile" Lucas answered uneasily.

"Well you guys definitely have basketball in common, the only time I've ever seen this much basketball stuff was when I was in your room" Haley laughed, looking around the living room once again. There were various basketball posters hanging on the far wall opposite the television, and several boxes that were still yet to be unpacked had 'Basketball' scribbled across the top in black marker.

"Yeah, I guess you can say he's into basketball. He's on the team here"

"So did he just move here from another apartment or something? Or is he a freshman?" Haley asked, curious to know more about her roommate. The thought of living alone with a guy she had never met before unsettled Haley, but then again she wasn't in any position to complain. Besides maybe he would be hot.

"He's a freshman"

She nodded, happy to have someone her own age that she could make the transition into college with. As she glanced around the room once more, taking everything in, something caught her eye. Haley stepped towards the pile of boxes and pulled out a picture that was partially sticking out. It was a photo of Karen, Andy and Lucas on Lucas' graduation day.

"Why does he have a picture of you guys?" Haley asked confused as she held up the picture so he could see.

Lucas remained silent before letting out a long sigh.

Well here goes nothing..

"Haley listen - -"

"Lucas, whose stuff is in front of the door?"

The voice echoed throughout the apartment and Haley's breath caught in her throat at the sound of it.

"Nathan" She breathed her voice soft and low.

Nathans' head shot up at the familiar voice. "Hales?" Her nickname slipped off his tongue before he could stop himself and his mouth slightly opened at the sight of her. She looked so different. The girl standing in front of him looked as if she had just stepped off a fashion runway, while the girl he remembered from high school would have never been seen wearing a shirt like the one she currently sported.

Lucas looked between his brother and best friend, anxious to see what would happen next. When the room filled with an awkward silence he shifted his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

"So, uh, surprise?" He offered with a slight laugh, hoping to ease some of the tension away.

Haley's eyes stayed connected on Nathan. He looked different, better than last time she saw him. If that was even possible. He had bulked up more over the summer which was evident by how his black polo clung tightly to his abs and biceps. His jeans hung loosely on his hips and his black hair was shorter. The only thing that remained exactly the same, were his eyes. His blue eyes still sparkled. And they still made her heart skip a beat. At that moment Haley tore her eyes away from him, unable to handle his suffocating stare.

"I can't believe you" She bit, turning her fiery brown eyes onto Lucas. She swallowed hard trying to keep her emotions at bay. Whenever she was around him it was like getting caught in a rip tide. So many emotions flooded her at once and she could barely control them.

Nathan shook his head, finally coming out of his daze. His eyes widening at the realization that Haley was indented to be his new roommate. He cleared his throat and attempted to speak, but Lucas spoke before he had the chance.

"Haley don't be mad, I was just trying to help" He could see the anger in her eyes and suddenly it didn't feel like the best idea anymore.

"This is your way of helping?!" She dropped the picture that she was still holding back into the box and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yeah it is. Look you need a place to live and you..." Lucas turned to look at his brother. "..Need somebody to pay half the rent. It's a solution to everybody's problem"

"The only thing us living together would do, is make more problems" Haley sighed.

"I don't think it's a good idea" Nathan finally spoke up.

"Fine then what are you going to do? Mom and Dad aren't going to give you any more money and you can't afford the rent on your own. Either you get a roommate or you're going to have to find another place to live. And do you really think you're going to be able to find a roommate on such short notice?" Lucas threw the questions out, trying to get Nathan to understand that this was his only option.

"Whatever. I need to take a shower" He turned his attention to Haley, ignoring the urge to walk closer to her. "If you want to stay here, then it's fine. If you don't then I'll figure something out. I don't care either way" With that, he walked past the both of them and down the hallway disappearing into the bathroom. He couldn't stand being in the room anymore, the tension was beginning to feel overwhelming.

"Haley everything about this apartment is perfect. First of all its huge, you can afford your part of the rent, it's close to school, there's a million places within walking distance that you could get a job at, and the simple fact that there's a week left until first semester starts and there's no way you're going to find anything else"

"You're right it is perfect, except for the fact that Nathan would be my roommate. I mean really Lucas, what the fuck" Haley raised her voice, not caring if Nathan heard her not. She was beyond aggravated at this point. She trusted Lucas completely with finding her an apartment while she was in Italy, and this is what he does.

_Unbelievable_

"I was thinking that I would help my best friend and brother out at the same time! Jesus Haley" Lucas bit back, annoyed that he was getting yelled out when he was only trying to help. He knew it wouldn't be easy getting Haley to agree to this, but she wasn't even giving it a chance.

"You didn't help me! Why didn't you tell me that Nathan was living here? Because you knew I would never agree to it! Now what am I supposed to do?" She threw her hands up frustrated.

_Cardboard box, here I come_

"You guys used to be best friends Haley, is it that big of a deal if you share a living space for a few months?"

"Used to be" Haley repeated. "Did you miss the part where we haven't talked in over two years?! Lucas you know how hard it was for me seeing him every day and knowing he chose lame high school popularity contest over me. You know how much time I spent crying over the fact that we weren't friends anymore. This was my chance to finally let go, to move on from everything that had to do with him. Damn it Lucas did you think about my feelings at all?!" Haley wiped angrily at the tears that were trickling down her soft cheeks. She hated that he could still do this to her, that he could still get to her. She was supposed to be over him. They hadn't spoken the entire summer not to mention that last two years, and now here she was crying because he had been in the same room as her.

_Ridiculous._

The guilt began settling into his stomach and he mentally slapped himself. How he ever thought this would be a good idea was beyond him in that moment. All he could focus on was how his best friend was upset because of something that was entirely his fault. His intentions were good of course, yet that didn't change anything.

"I'm sorry" Lucas apologized sincerely, stepping closer to her and taking her hands within his. "I really was just trying to help. I thought that if you guys could spend some time together, without all the high school drama, maybe it would help and things could get better for the two of you. Not to mention that it seemed to solve everybody's living problems"

"I really do love the apartment" Haley chuckled through her tears, allowing her eyes to wander through the living room once more.

"Then stay Hales. It won't be that bad I promise. Look with Nathans basketball practice and all the parties he'll be going to and all the extra classes you're going to be taking, and I already know you'll have a job by the end of the week; you guys will barely see each other. Plus I'll be close by so if you ever need me, I'll be right here" Lucas smiled slightly. "Just give it a chance"

Haley's eyes connected with Lucas' and she knew he was right. She was taking more classes than most freshmen, and she planned to get a job if not two so she could pay for everything she would need. Plus she knew how hard practice had been for Lucas freshman year, no doubt it would be just as hard for Nathan. Maybe it could work. She took a deep breath and nodded. "I'll try it out"

_Could she really live with the boy she used to be best friends with? The boy she was hopelessly in love with since forever? The boy that walked away and left her behind?_

_**Please R/R! x0Laura**_


	3. Avoidance to Annoyance

_**Chapter 3**_

_**Avoidance to Annoyance**_

"Haley this is amazing!" Peyton exclaimed as she walked throughout the entire apartment, her eyes widening in awe at each turn. When Haley had told her about the apartment, she never expected it to be so luxurious.

Haley simply grunted in response as her eyes continued to scan the magazine she was currently engrossed in. Since the day she lashed out on Nathan things had been extra tense. Instead of going out of their way to avoid one another, they started going out of their way to annoy each other instead.

"I would totally switch living spaces with you" Peyton commented as she made her way back to the living room.

"Really? You would? Peyton I would love you for the rest of my life" Haley practically yelled, as she shot up from the couch, a wide smile stretched across her face.

The blonde girl laughed slightly before shaking her head. "No, just kidding"

Haleys smile quickly fell and was replaced with a fierce scowl. "Rude"

"You know when you first told me you were going to move in with Nathan, I thought you were crazy. But the more I think about it, the better I actually think it is" Peyton admitted, choosing to ignore her friends comment.

"Yeah, and I'm the crazy one" Haley retorted, returning to her earlier seated position on the couch.

"I'm serious Haley. Maybe Lucas is right, maybe this could be good for you guys. Especially since Rachel's not in the picture anymore"

Haley visibly tensed at the mention of the perky red heads name. "What happened to her anyway?"

Peyton shrugged. "Last I heard she was going to Paris to intern at some fashion magazine"

The idea of Rachel being millions of miles away was doing wonders for the tension resting in Haleys shoulders. The last time she saw Rachel was the day of graduation, which was too soon as far as she was concerned.

"Anyway, where's Nathan?" Peyton asked, trying to move away from the subject of Rachel.

As if on cue, Nathan walked in the door with Lucas close behind.

"Hey guys" She smiled, directing her attention off of Haley and to the two exhausted brothers making their way inside.

Being a cheerleader at Tree Hill High, Peyton generally hung out with the same group that Lucas, and Nathan towards his sophomore year, had hung out with. Because of this, she knew both boys fairly well. Lucas and her were never exactly friends, but more of acquaintances. When they talked it was only for a few minutes about what party was being held Friday night and who was supplying the alcohol. However, when she became friends with Haley she had gotten to see a different side to Lucas whenever he would come down from college to visit. Peyton genuinely liked him, and was happy they would have the chance to get to know each other better. As for the other Scott brother she harbored a certain amount of animosity towards him for the way he had treated Haley in the past, but at the same time never owned the right to judge him on something that had absolutely nothing to do with her. Haley assured her it was okay for them to become friends, and Peyton intended on doing just that.

Nathan nodded in her direction before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Hey Peyton" Lucas greeted, sending her a small smile before collapsing onto the couch, nearly on top of Haley.

"Ew. Get off of me, you're all sweaty" She yelled, pushing at Lucas' limp body.

"Can't move. Too tired" His words were muffled by the pillow that his faced was pushed into.

Haley repeatedly pinched at his sides until he groaned in annoyance and moved over, giving her back her personal space.

"Your best friend is in pain, the least you could do is be a little sympathetic"

"I would be sympathetic if said friend didn't wake me up at 5:30 in the morning trying to get his ass of a brother out of bed for so called pre-season training" She bit out.

"It's important that he trains. What we went through this morning is nothing compared to what coach will make us do during actual practice. It's going to be harder for Nathan, college ball is a lot different than high school basketball" Lucas explained as his eyes drifted closed and his breathing returned to normal. He was proud of the fact that he was willing to wake up at an ungodly hour, run six miles, and spend two hours in a gym lifting weights, all to help his little brother get adjusted to the college routine. But that didn't mean he couldn't complain about it.

"Why aren't you as exhausted as Lucas?" Peyton asked as Nathan walked back into the living room equipped with the two bottles of water. One that he threw at an unsuspecting Lucas, and other for himself.

"I am. I'm just not pansy enough to whine about it" He answered, sitting down on the far side of the couch and propping his feet up on the coffee table.

"That's a surprise" Haley mumbled, her eyes still glued to the magazine in her lap.

"What is?" Nathan asked against his better judgment. He knew that whenever they started talking it ended up in an argument, but considering they hadn't seen each other for most of the day, they were overdue for one anyway.

"You not whining about this. Usually it's all you do" She answered easily, her voice strong and calm.

"Are you implying that I whine a lot?" He asked slowly

Haley rolled her eyes. "No, I'm not implying it. I'm stating a fact. You're worse than a bratty five year old girl. You whine about every possible thing. It's too hot here. The suns always out. There's nothing on TV. The water is cold –"Haley was about to continue on her rant but Nathan interrupted.

"That water was freezing!" He yelled. "I can't believe you used all the hot water, you know how much it sucked to take a shower with nothing but freezing cold water?"

Haley simply shrugged. "You shouldn't have eaten all the cereal"

"I wouldn't have eaten the cereal if someone didn't eat my last apple" Nathan replied, while giving her a pointed look.

"Well I wouldn't have eaten your stupid apple if I wasn't pissed at you for, I don't know, dropping my sunglasses off the balcony!"

"I told you that was an accident. Kind of like how you accidently knocked my toothbrush into the toilet"

"That was after you tried to throw a tarantula you found under the cabinet on me!"

"Only because you put all my underwear in the elevator!"

"Well learn that a laundry basket exists and stop putting your dirty clothes in the hallway'

Peyton and Lucas laughed at the exchange, each shaking their head. _Those two really were going to be the death of one another._

"Would the two of you just grow up" Lucas suggested

Haley and Nathan both mumbled apologies before resorting to glaring at each other.

"So I think me and Lucas are going to head out" Peyton finally spoke, smiling at the look of relief that washed over Lucas' face at her words.

"What? Why? You guys just got here" Haley whined as she finally broke her stare with Nathan.

"I like to be around normal civilized people, and that is definitely not here" Lucas answered while moving to stand next to Peyton. "Want to grab some lunch?"

"Yeah, sure" Peyton nodded and flashed him another smile before turning her attention to Haley and Nathan. "I would invite you guys but the point is to get away from you. Besides I don't want to go through a repeat of last time"

Nathan rolled his eyes. "Please. That was McDonalds, it shouldn't even count"

"Yeah. And it's not my fault my chocolate milkshake spilled all over his head. It really did slip out of my hand"

"Just like my sprite accidently soaked her white tank top, making it see through" Nathan smirked at the memory.

"Well the manager didn't think it was so much of an accident when he was kicking us out. Thanks to you two dipshits were banned from the only fast food restaurant within walking distance" Lucas called out over his shoulder.

"You should be thanking us, you'll live another 10 years and keep your shape" Haley said standing from the couch and following Peyton and Lucas to the door.

"For once I agree with her" Nathan stated, reaching over to grab the remote control off the coffee table.

"Don't agree with me" She bit out, spinning on her heel to once again glare at him.

"You're impossible" He threw up his hands frustrated.

"Well you're annoying"

"Bye guys" Peyton waved as she shut the door behind her and Lucas. They laughed as the bickering from inside could still be heard all the way to the elevator. As the silver doors opened the two stepped inside the enclosed space, and Lucas hit the corresponding button to take them to the ground floor.

"I guess Nathan missed one" Peyton commented as both she and Lucas burst into laughter at the sight of a pair of blue checkered boxers lying in the corner of the elevator.

**Please R/R ! x0Laura**


	4. Early Morning Adventures

**_Chapter 4_**

**_Early Morning Adventures_**

_Beep Beep Beep_

The obnoxious ring of the alarm clock blared through the once silent room, pulling Haley out of her peaceful slumber. With a groan she waved her hand in the general direction of the ringing and a moment later she could hear the small metal clock crash to the floor. As she reluctantly pushed herself out of bed, the strong early morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, making her wince at the bright light. Haley padded through the hallway and into the bathroom. After a quick shower she secured a white terry cloth towel tightly around her body, and went through the usual motions of her morning routine. After a quick debate with herself on whether to wear her hair curly or straight, Haley opted for the latter and clicked her hair straightener to on, setting it on the vanity to allow it to warm up. As she was about to exit the bathroom, something caught her eye. Resting in the corner of the vanity, sat a small container of face moisturizer. Peyton had given it to her the day before, swearing on his effects. Haley quickly skimmed through the directions, which basically stated to spread an even amount of the cream over your face and let it set for 15 minutes before washing it off. Shrugging, Haley uncapped the container and shuddered at the bright green lotion starring back her. _Were they kidding?_ If it hadn't been for the desire to make a good impression on the first day of school she would have thrown it out without a second thought. A fit of giggles shook her small frame once she glanced in the mirror, her entire face covered with the bright green cream, leaving only her pink lips and brown eyes evident. Haley walked back to her room to get dressed before she had to go back and do her hair.

As one bedroom door shut, another opened. Nathan stumbled out, clad only in his red checkered boxers, and made his way to the bathroom. He ran a tired hand over his face, trying to shake off the sleepy haze he was still surrounded by. He had been spoiled sleeping late all summer and it was proving to take its toll. As he entered the bathroom, something immediately caught his attention._What's this?_Nathan picked up the strange black object but quickly dropped it as the unbearable heat seeped into his skin, making him scream out in pain. He stepped towards the shower and pushed the handle to cold before letting the freezing water cascade down on his burning hand. He let out a long sigh at the instant relief.

Haley slipped into a pleated short skirt and had just snapped her black lace bra into place when she heard Nathan scream. Instinctively she rushed out of her room following the sound, her mind not registering the fact that she currently did not have a shirt on.

"Nathan?! What's wrong? Where are you?" She threw the questions out all in one breath, but didn't receive an answer to any of them. Worst case scenarios began to run through her mind and she found herself barreling through the partially opened door, her eyes searching frantically for Nathan. She sighed a small breath of relief when they landed on his slouched figure, standing by the shower.

"What happened?"

Nathan spun around at the sound of Haley crashing through the door and screamed out as he stumbled backwards, the back of his knees hitting the tub, causing him to lose his balance and fall into the steady stream of water from the shower.

"Holey shit" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath trying to calm himself down. "You scared the shit out of me. What the hell is all over your face?"

Haley rolled her eyes. "It's a face mask. Why were you screaming? Are you okay?"

"No" He grunted, his eyes still closed. "I burned my hand on that stupid thing. What the hell is it anyway? And why is it scorching hot?"

Haley looked around the bathroom, trying to figure out what he was talking about. Her eyes landed on her hair straightener that was now on the floor and she smirked. "It's a called a hair straightener, jackass. And you're not supposed to pick it up by the plates, that's why there's a handle"

Nathans eyes finally drifted open, and they winded at the realization that Haley was half naked. He starred appreciatively at her for a moment, ignoring the urge to run his hands over the expanse of her bare skin.

"Think you could stop standing there and help me up. I'm soaking wet and I can't put pressure on this hand" He smirked as she walked closer.

"Stop being such a baby" As Haley reached to turn off the water that was still descending from the nozzle, Nathan wrapped his hand around her wrist and pulled her forward, her body colliding on top of his as she fell into his lap.

"Nathan!" Haley screeched, scrambling to get up but his arms locked round her waist, holding her to him. After a moment of fighting Haley finally relented, accepting the fact that he was stronger than her.

"Not that I mind the early morning show, but what's with the strip tease?" Nathan teased, his finger sliding up and down the black strap of her bra.

Haley looked down in complete horror, the bright crimson blush spreading over her entire body as the realization sunk in that she was fully dressed. Once again Haley began squirming, trying to break Nathans hold on her but he wouldn't allow it. Sighing out in frustration she relaxed into him, her arms crossing over her chest, in an attempt to cover up.

"I wouldn't have had to stop changing and come running if you weren't screaming like you were dying" She shrugged lightly, trying to seem indifferent about the situation.

"Oh really?" He asked huskily, his hot breath tickling her neck.

Haley simply nodded, losing herself in his embrace. Considering the cold water that was now pooling around them she knew she should be freezing, but at that moment her body felt as if it were on fire.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Lucas asked as he leaned against the door frame of the bathroom, an amused smirk playing across his lips. He promised Haley he would come over early and show her to her first class. Needless to say when he walked in he didn't expect to see his best friend without a shirt on sitting in the lap of his also shirtless brother, all while they were in the shower.

Haleys eyes shot open at the new voice and she could literally feel the blush surfacing again. Lucas stood starring back at her and she opened her mouth to offer some sort of explanation. "He burnt his hand"

"Right" Lucas nodded curtly before taking a few steps backwards until he was standing in the middle of the hallway. "So I'm going to go get some cereal, you two just come out when you're done" He started walking away but stopped and turned on his heel, facing them once again.

"What's on your face?"

"It's a face mask!" Haley screamed out, now annoyed with the whole situation. She watched as Lucas walked away and soon she could hear the cereal being poured into a bowl. She pulled Nathans hands apart, finally breaking his hold on her. Pushing herself up, Haley stepped out of the bathtub and grabbed a towel off the nearby holder. She quickly ran it over her arms and legs, gathering all the stray droplets of water.

"Are you coming?!" She asked incredulously, looking back at Nathan only to find him in the same position he was in before. She was frustrated with the fact that both Scott brothers had just seen her without a shirt on, she was soaking wet, she had green gunk all over her face, and Nathan had said absolutely nothing to dissuade the ideas that were more than likely running rampant through Lucas' head about what he just saw. Not to mention they were going to be late for the first day of school.

"No, I think I'm just going to stay here for another minute" Nathan replied as he leaned his head back against the white tile of the bathroom wall, the cold water still falling on him. His eyes drifted closed a second later but he could still feel Haleys lingering gaze.

"Why?"

Nathans lips turned up into his trademark smirk and as Haley stepped closer she could see the visible bulge in his boxers.

"Ugh you're such a guy!" She screamed out disgusted, while walking out of the bathroom, his loud laughter following her until she slammed her bedroom door shut.

10 minutes later, Haley walked into the kitchen wearing green sweatpants that were cuffed just below her knees and a black tank top that was trimmed with white lace. Her hair was drying in its natural waves as if fell around her tanned shoulders, there was no longer time or patience to straighten it. And her wedge heels clicked in rhythm on the hardwood floor.

"Glad to see your decent" Lucas laughed as he finished the last bite of his cereal.

"You're not funny" She rolled her eyes and picked up her Roxy messenger bag from its spot by the front door. "There was nothing going on in the bathroom, I know how it looked but I could explain …" Haley began but Lucas cut her off.

"Please. I don't want details" He held up his hands and shook his head from side to side.

"Don't worry, I fill you in at practice" Nathan said walking into the kitchen. He was dressed in a pair of khaki shorts and a red Abercrombie polo.

"There's nothing to fill in! Nothing happened!" Haley exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air.

"I'm confused. One minute you're throwing yourself at me while I'm trying to take a shower, and the next you're saying that nothing happened. That hurts Haley" Nathan said, placing his hand over his heart and feigning hurt.

Despite Lucas' attempt to hold back, his laughter bubbled up and Haley once again rolled her eyes before shooting both brothers a death glare.

"Can we go? Peytons going to kill me, I was supposed to meet her at 6:45 and it's already 7" Haley whined

"I'm ready" Lucas nodded, pushing off of the kitchen counter and smoothing out the wrinkles in his blue and white button down dress shirt. "You ready?"

"Yeah" Nathan nodded and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter. He picked up his black backpack and threw it over his shoulder, his duffel bag for basketball already slung over the other shoulder.

"Why are you coming with us?" Haley asked, resisting the urge to bang her head against the door. All she wanted to do was get away from him for a span of longer than 5 minutes and it was proving to be impossible

"Lucas asked me to come" Nathan answered, his ever present smirk widening.

"I'm playing the big brother role, okay? I'm showing you to your first class, it's only fair I help him too" Lucas defended before Haley could even get a word out.

"Whatever. Let's go" She shrugged her shoulders and stepped into the hallway, waiting for the boys to follow suit. "Make sure you lock the door Nathan, I want to come back and find that everything is still here"

"No, I thought I would leave the door wide open. Maybe even make a sign that says _'Please come in, take what you want' _and hang it on the door" He replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he pulled the apartment door shut and locked it.

Haley mimicked him before rolling her eyes for what seemed liked the umpteenth time that morning. "I hope you choke on your stupid apple" She said, giving him a sweet smile as she began walking down the hallway, with Lucas beside her.

"Why? So you could give me mouth to mouth?" Nathan called out as he followed closely behind.

"I thought that's what you did in the shower?" Lucas teased, laughing as Haley shoved him into the wall and kept walking, Nathans loud laughter filling the halls.

15 minutes and one coffee stop later; Haley, Lucas and Nathan were walking through the main courtyard of UCLA. There seemed to be hundreds of other students walking around, each with their own destination in mind.

"Look who finally decided to show up" Peyton smirked, as she leaned against a large oak tree, centered in the courtyard. Her arms fell to her side, a sketchbook in one hand and the other coming up to act as a shield from the sun. She was dressed in a short black skirt, a white tank top, and her trusty converse. Her blonde ringlets showed more bounce then ever as they sparkled to gold in the strong sun.

"I'm so sorry Peyt. Dumb and Dumber took forever" Haley apologized, turning her head to glare at Lucas and Nathan once more.

"You bought coffee, so all is forgiven" The blonde girl smiled, taking the cup of Starbucks in her hand that Haley was offering. "Boys" She nodded to both of them in acknowledgment.

"Hey Peyton" Lucas smiled at her, while Nathan waved.

At the sound of Lucas' voice Haley shot another glare his way, still annoyed by the stupid jokes him and Nathan were cracking the whole car ride over.

"What's with the death stare?" Peyton questioned.

Before Haley could answer, Lucas spoke up. "She's just mad because I interrupted her and Nathan having sex in the shower this morning"

The coffee that Peyton had just sipped was now spraying to the ground as her mouth opened in disbelief. "What?!"

"Lucas Eugene Scott!" Haley yelled, earning a few questioning stares from passing students.

Lucas and Nathan shared a quick laugh, before controlling themselves enough to speak.

"Okay I'll stop. I promise" He offered her a small smile, but Haley turned her back to him and focused back on Peyton. "I'm going to go show Nathan where his class is, and then I'll meet you back here okay?" Haley waved her hand over her shoulder, signaling that she heard him but gave no further response.

"You're still going to come over after classes' right?"

"Not until you explain" Peyton shook her head, eager to understand what Lucas was talking about.

Haley sighed and began explaining the morning events only to be met with a rumbling laugh from Peyton when she was done.

"Do you really expect me to believe that?"

"It's the truth!" She exclaimed.

"Haley I got accepted to UCLA, that's means I'm not a complete idiot" Peyton deadpanned, taking another sip of her coffee and actually swallowing it this time. She knew that Haley was telling the truth, but it was still fun to mess with her.

Haley stomped her food and pouted her lips like a small child. "I'm telling the truth" She insisted.

Peyton raised an eyebrow, but finally relented. "Just call me when you get of your last class and I'll come over"

Haley nodded, happy that she finally let the whole Nathan fiasco go.

"Are you nervous?" She questioned. Haley had been looking forward to this day since she got her acceptance letter in the mail, but now that she was actually here it all felt a little overwhelming.

"A little" Peyton admitted. "But were going to be fine" She promised, trying to convince both herself and Haley.

"Yeah, we will" The two friends shared a smile and a quick hug before separating.

"I'm going to head to class. You're still going to wait here for Lucas?"

Haley nodded, adjusting the strap of her messenger bag.

"Alright. Don't talk to strangers" Peyton teased as she walked away.

"Here you go man, sports medicine" Lucas said, coming to a stop in front of a large auditorium styled room.

Nathan glanced through the doors before looking back at Lucas and nodding. "Thanks"

"No problem. Drop your gym bag off in the locker room after here though, no sense in carrying it around all day if you don't have to" He would have suggested that Nathan do it even before his first class, but they were running late as is, no sense it making it worse.

Once again Nathan nodded. "I should go. I'll see you at practice" He pulled the door open and was about to step through but Lucas' voice held him back.

"I'm really glad you're here, Nathan" Lucas called out, a light smile adorning his lips. It wasn't often that him and his brother ever got emotional with one another, but when Nathan told him he was coming to UCLA, he honestly couldn't have been happier.

A small smile twitched at Nathans lips. "I wouldn't be anywhere else" He answered truthfully, stepping towards Lucas and slapping hands with him before sharing a quick hug. His first choice of school had been Duke, but once Nathan found out he was accepted to UCLA, it was a decision that required no thought.

"Alright enough of this mushy shit. I'll see you at practice" Lucas and Nathan both laughed before going their separate ways. As Lucas made his way back to the main quad, he spotted Haley leaning against the oak tree that he had left her at before.

"Peyton go to class?" He asked, walking up to her.

"Yeah. Did you get lost or something? You've been gone for like 20 minutes" Haley asked adding to her exaggeration with an annoyed roll of her brown eyes.

Lucas looked at her, his sky blue eyes crinkling with laughter. "Are you still mad at me for interrupting this morning? We could always work out a system or something. You know maybe leave one of those hair things on the door handle?"

Haley starred up at him, her mouth falling open more with every word he spoke. She reached out and pinched his left cheek between her thumb and forefinger, applying as much pressure as she could until Lucas relented and held his hands up, pouring out rushed apologies.

"One more word about the unfortunate mishap that occurred this morning and I swear Lucas I'll make it so you won't be even able to entertain the idea of having kids" She warned, her finger now poking at his hard chest as he held his now redden cheek in pain.

"That hurt Haley!" Lucas whined, sending her an unwavering glare as she laughed at his words.

"Don't be such a baby" She chided, looking on with mild amusement. He deserved it for every joke he cracked that morning about her, and for every laugh he and Nathan had at her expense.

Lucas went on to mumble something under his breath about lobster claws and Haley sighed at his dramatics. "Look I'll make it all better okay?" She said, leaning forward and placing a light kiss on his cheek.

"Looks like I have some competition"

Lucas' head shot up at the familiar voice, a bright smile instantly forming over his soft lips. He stepped around Haley and enveloped the brunette in tight hug, her warm vanilla shampoo instantly awakening his senses.

"Glad to see I was missed" She laughed as she wrapped herself within his familiar body, the one she had missed for the long summer months.

"What are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming back until tonight?" He questioned as he pulled away from the hug to look at her fully. Her chocolate brown hair flowed easily down her back while her bangs fell forward, framing her beautiful hazel eyes. Her short jean skirt and pink camisole showed off her flawless porcelain skin, which held a shimmering tan.

"My schedule changed, my first class is tomorrow so I came back early. I would have called but I thought I'd surprise you. Looks like I'm the one getting the surprise, though. I leave you alone for a few months to visit my parents and you find another girl?" She asked teasingly as she looked between Lucas and the now uncomfortable looking girl standing a few feet away.

"I'm Brooke Davis" She smiled, extending her hand to the other girl. As she looked her over there was something familiar about her but she couldn't quite place it.

"Hey, I'm H.."

"Oh my god! You're Haley!" Brooke exclaimed, rushing forward and enveloping Haley in a near suffocating hug. Haley laughed slightly, tentatively wrapping her arms around the exuberant brunette.

"Yeah, it's uh, nice to meet you" She offered a small smile, not used to the overpowering excitement that seemed to be radiating from Brooke. She looked to Lucas who stood with the same wide smile stretched across his face. So this was her. This was Brooke Davis, the girl her best friend was crazy about. At the beginning of his freshman year Lucas had told Haley about the girl he met at orientation, and how they developed a strong friendship over time. After one too many drinks at some nameless party, they crossed over the boundaries of friendship and slept together, each giving into the undeniable chemistry that obviously flowed between them. However with neither ready to dive into a serious relationship, they opted to keep things casual. A friends with benefit kind of thing.

"Lucas told me so much about you! I knew you looked familiar but I couldn't figure out from where and then I totally remembered that you're the girl from the pictures in his room. I'm so happy to finally meet you! This is going to be so much fun were totally going to be like the best of friends. And we definitely have to go shopping together because I love your shirt! Oh and your bag? So cute! By the way Lucas told me about your whole drama with Nathan, who I still didn't meet, but don't worry because it's totally cool that you're in love with him, I mean I've seen pictures and you guys would be completely adorable together! Oh, and I can play cupid!" Brooke rambled out all at once, in what seemed like one breath. She clapped her hands excitedly when she finally took a minute to breathe and flashed her dimples.

Haleys eyes widen with each word and by the time Brooke had stopped talking, it was a miracle they hadn't popped out of her head. "Um..no..I uh .. I'm not in love with Nathan" She stumbled over her words, trying to wrap her head around the fact that this complete stranger seemed to know everything about her. And what was the whole thing about being in love with Nathan? Did Lucas really think that?

_Was it that obvious?_

Haley wasn't exactly sure when her feelings towards Nathan changed from friendship to something more, but she realized that they did indeed change somewhere around the time when he decided to cut her out of his life, and she swore she could hear her heart breaking more and more each time she looked at him after that. Of course she denied the feelings, but if she was completely honest with herself, Haley had always been in love with Nathan. She hated him for making her feel the way she did around him, and she hated herself even more for feeling that way after everything that had happened between them. She wouldn't give into those feelings though, not even enough to acknowledge they were there.

Brooke waved her head dismissively and shook her head. "Lucas said you would deny it. Don't worry, I'll have you guys confessing your love to each other within a few months. Now in the mean time we definitely have to get you a boyfriend to totally make Nathan jealous. Any preferences?"

Haley looked from Brooke to Lucas, her eyes narrowing at him as he stood with his hands shoved deep in his pockets, his eyes downcast. "I don't know, why don't you ask Lucas he seems to have so much insight into my feelings"

Lucas lifted his gaze from the ground, his anxious blue eyes meeting with Haleys. He offered her a small smile and half a shrug; really not sure what to say that wouldn't end with Haley chasing him around the courtyard. The theories he had shared with Brooke on why Haley was still so angry and so upset with Nathan after all this time, were only supposed to be shared between the two of them. He didn't think that within in the first 5 minutes of meeting Haley Brooke would recite everything to her.

Brooke laughed, unaware of the tension brewing between the two friends. "Don't worry we have an entire basketball team to choose from. Except of course for Broody here, he's off limits" She sent Lucas wink and a flirtatious smile while linking arms with both he and Haley. "This is going to be so much fun!"

**Please R/R! x0Laura**


	5. Foward, then Back

_**Chapter 5**_

_**Foward, then Back**_

The chilled breeze shuffled through the night air as the waves lapped at the shore. The bright moon reflected off the glassy water and the flames from the fire danced in the breeze.

"This was such a good idea!" Brooke squealed, a bright smile plastered on her lips as she looked around the fire at the friends she was quickly growing to love. She was situated on Lucas' lap as his strong arms were securely fitted around her waist, Peyton sat on a small fold up chair to their right, and Nathan and Haley were quite literally forced to share the small fleece blanket. It was a week into the first semester of school and the group decided it was time to take a night off from their chaotic schedules and just spend time together relaxing.

"I still can't believe you got the RA to transfer you into my dorm room. Poor Leah had no idea what was going on. She went to class, came back and all her stuff was in a different room" Peyton let out a small laugh at the memory of Leah's face when she walked in, only to find Brooke laying upon what was once her bed. Priceless.

"She'll be so much happier in my old room anyway. Her and that other band geek can practice their instruments all night long. Plus I totally saved you, how unbearable would it have been to listen to that trombone everyday?" Brooke laughed. Truth was her family could afford to pay for any apartment available, but Brooke refused, citing she wanted the full college experience. All her life she had been pampered, and this was the first time she was really doing something on her own. The Davis family was the epitome of perfection in many eyes. Victoria Davis was a CEO of one of the largest fashion companies in the western hemisphere and Daniel Davis was one of the most sort after plastic surgeons in the world. The two got married right after college and two years later settled down in New York City to have their first child, Brooke Penelope Davis. The family of three were extremely close in every possible way and therefore envious of those who weren't so lucky.

"God, the headache she gave me from practicing this long will last me forever. If I had to listen to it for the rest of the year I don't think I would have made it" Peyton shuddered, the ridiculous screeching of the trombone still replying in her head.

"Guys, stop making fun of Leah. She was so sweet" Haley smiled as she defended Peytons former roommate. She had ran into her the few times she had hung out in the dorm room and really couldn't think of one bad thing to say about her. Besides her fashion sense. I mean really, an oversized green t - shirt and purple corduroy capris? _Barney to the extreme_

"Haley the only reason why you liked the girl is because she's just as tone deft as you" Peyton joked, eliciting a simultaneous laugh from the group, including Nathan, and a glare from Haley.

"I am so not tone deft" She protested but couldn't keep the bubble of laughter down. "Fine. So I lack talent in the musical department big deal?"

"Let's play a game" Lucas suggested. Haleys eyes connected with his and if she wasn't still annoyed with the whole "_Hi I'm Lucas, let me tell you everything I think about my best friend Haley and her life" _thing with Brooke; she might have thanked him for getting the attention off her and her musical talent. Or lack thereof.

"What are you five?" Nathan retorted, sipping at his bottle of beer and leaning back onto his elbows. It was Friday night and most people expected Nathan Scott to be hosting some raving party or at least make an appearance at one, but instead he was stuck on the beach sharing 10 feet of blanket with a girl that detested him and sitting around a fire with people he saw everyday. And if he was honest with himself, he loved it. He would have much rather been there with them than at any other random party surrounded by nameless people. He got tired of it after awhile. The parties and drinking all night got old, but these nights with the people that truly mean something to you, those memories last forever. But he would never say that out loud. Because that wasn't what was expected of Nathan Scott, star player and ladies man.

"Sush Nathan. A game is a good idea. I vote for truth or dare" Brooke clapped excitedly as she turned to look at Lucas, ignoring the various groans and protests from everyone else. "Since you suggested it, you go first. Truth or dare?"

Lucas thought for a moment and settled on truth.

"Most embarrassing moment"

The group traded various stories and admitted things they probably normally never would have during normal circumstances, and even completed a few adventurous dares. While Peyton was admitting something involving a male stripper, toothpaste, and a few drunken cheerleaders; Haley quietly slipped away and walked down to the waters edge. She picked up a small sea shell and tossed it into ocean, watching as the once still water rippled as an effect. She laughed at the parallelism. Everything seemed to have a domino effect, whether it be ripples in the water or your best friend cutting you out of his life, and then your mom leaving, your dad becoming a drunk and the endless amount of nightmares that seemed to restrain you from moving on with your life. All because of one event.

"You okay?" Lucas asked walking up to stand next to Haley. He dug his toes into the wet sand, shivering as the cold water skidded across his bare feet.

She nodded, but kept her gaze focused on the seemingly never ending ocean in front of her.

Lucas sighed. "I'm sorry for everything I told Brooke. We were just talking, it doesn't mean anything" He really didn't see what the big deal was, it wasn't like Brooke was running to Nathan and spilling everything. But it was an invasion of Haleys privacy, and that he did understand.

Haley shrugged. "I don't care about it. If that's what you think then fine"

"Haley.."

"No Lucas, really it's fine. If I was you that's probably what I would have thought too"

"Does that mean I'm right?" He questioned hesitantly, knowing he was on thin ice.

"I don't know. I guess so. In a way I've always been in love with him, but that doesn't mean I still have the same feelings for him now. He's not the same guy I used to know" Haley finally admitted, her gaze drifting from the water to Lucas and back again. It was the first time she had ever uttered those words aloud and it was refreshing some small way. And terrifying in other ways.

"How come you never told me that before?

She shrugged. "I don't know. Can we please not talk about this anymore?" Even if it was Lucas, she still felt uncomfortable discussing her complicated mass of different feelings for Nathan. After all how pathetic was it to still love a guy that you swore you hated?

"Okay" Lucas nodded, not wanting to push her. Silence stretched between the two as they were both lost in their own thoughts.

"Listen, Lucas .." Haley trailed off as she turned to face him, her eyes not meeting his as she wondered how to start.

"Yeah?" Lucas turned to face her, his eyes clouding with concern as he looked down at her small shaking frame. "Haley What's wrong?"

She took a deep breath, her arms crossing tightly over her chest. "I know that you and Brooke have gotten really close, and I know that you tell her a lot and it's really nice that you trust her so much and she seems like a really good person .."

"Hales, you're rambling" He smiled slightly as his hands ran up and down her arms.

"You didn't tell her about .. You know .. Me and everything else right. Before college?" She stumbled through the question, her voice dropping lower with each word.

Lucas' eyes widened and his grip instinctively tightened around her arms. This was the first time she had mentioned it since the day she moved in with Peyton and it took him off guard. Haley had made him swear never to tell anybody what went on. She wanted to move forward and pretend it had never happened, and after a significant amount of reluctance from Lucas, he agreed and that had been the end of it.

"No. Nobody knows but us" He answered, easing her doubts.

Haley nodded and released a small breath of relief. She knew Lucas would never break his promise to her, but she just needed the reassurance of hearing it. She was barley holding it together, but she was trying. God was she trying. Things had been so hard no matter how genuinely happy she was. No matter what she just couldn't shake the feelings of violation.

"I think you should tell Nathan" The words left his mouth before he could stop them and he closed his eyes tightly in instant regret.

"No" She answered simply, taking a step back. "Don't start with this Lucas"

The two friends had engaged in countless arguments over whether or not they should tell Nathan the details of what went on after Lydia left. Haley said it was none of Nathans business, they weren't friends anymore and it didn't concern him. Besides what good would it do telling him now? Lucas argued that Nathan had a right to know and that if she just opened up to him again maybe it would help her move forward.

"Haley you can't keep it from him forever"

"Yes I can! I kept it from him for this long, and that's how it's going to stay" Her throat tighten and she could feel the tears stinging at the back of her eyes. She couldn't do this again. She couldn't cry about it anymore. "Why are you doing this?"

"Maybe telling Nathan will bring you guys closer. Give him the chance to be there for you like he should have been in high school. I just want you to be okay again, Haley" Lucas said, his voice soft and pleading.

"I am okay! I've been okay" She defended, pushing her hair back behind her ear.

"You're not okay Hales. You think I don't notice how you flinch every time someone comes up behind you, or how worried you get when everyone is drinking, or the look in your eyes when Brooke talks about her family?" He had kept his silence long enough and he needed to step up and say something. Lucas would do anything for Haley, she knew that, everybody knew that, but he was struggling to figure out how to help her for years now. Stuck between doing what he believed to be right and Haley's pleads of silence.

Haley squared her shoulders, her brown eyes wide with anger and frustration. "And what is Nathan going to do about it Lucas? Say a few words and make everything magically better?" Nothing was going to change what happened. Nothing was going to fix, fix her. The only thing continuing to talk about it was going to do, was make it more unbearable than it already was.

"He can fix you Haley, you just have to give him a chance. When we were growing up he's the first one you would run to whenever you had a problem because you knew no matter what he would make it better"

"You don't think I know that?!" Haley screamed, finally exploding. "I gave him that chance Lucas. When I showed up to your house that night I went there for Nathan, I didn't even know you were home. And what did he do? He walked away. He stopped caring about me a long time ago. Maybe he never did" She wiped furiously at the tears falling over her cheeks as she pushed past Lucas and headed back up the beach, ignoring his calls after her.

"I'm going to head back to the apartment early, I still have a report to finish before my morning class tomorrow" Haley threw out to nobody in particular as she slipped her flip flops on and picked up her cell phone off the blanket.

"You can't leave yet Haley! It's only 7:30, you have plenty of time to write your essay" Brooke whined. "Stay and hang out pleasee Hawleyy pleasee" She continued before being engulfed in a fit of giggles as she caught sight of Lucas walking towards her.

Haley smiled slightly at her obvious drunken state, apparently she had been talking to Lucas longer than she thought. "I really can't. I'll see you guys tomorrow"

"I'll come back with you" Peyton offered, standing up.

"No, it's okay. Stay here and hang out. Thank you anyway" Haley countered, smiling at Peytron and giving her the "Yes I'm Sure" look.

"Okay. Call me after your class" She relented, sitting down once again.

"How are you going to get home?" Lucas asked as he sat down, Brooke promptly falling into his lap again.

"I'll walk" Haley answered easily as she began walking away from the group. "See you guys later" She called over her shoulder, only to be stopped by a hand on her arm.

"I'll walk back with you" Nathan said, falling into step with Haley who had started walking again.

"You don't have to" She insisted, not really wanting his company right now.

"Might as well" The normally 15 minute walk along the coast line to get to the apartment complex had seemed so much longer with the added company Haley now had the pleasure of having.

"You've been crying" Nathan spoke, his voice low as the wind picked up speed.

"No I haven't" She defended, keeping her eyes on the ground.

Maybe it was the unbearable silence that stretched between the two former friends after that, or the fact that she simply needed something else on her mind other then what was currently running around in her head; that made Haley ask her next question.

"Whatever happened to Rachel?" She knew some basic details, but for whatever reason Haley wanted more.

Nathan looked up at her words, his face a mixture of shock and surprise. Shock that she seemed to be making an attempt to start a conversation, and surprised that of all people, the topic was Rachel.

"She went to Paris for a fashion internship right after graduation. She's supposed to come back in the middle of this year and transfer to NYU" He answered, his voice dry.

The epic relationship of Nathan Scott and Rachel Gatina, was anything but epic. More then not it was an endless amount of one night stands thrown together. That's not to say they didn't have their good moments, like the nights they would opt out of going to a party and go out to dinner instead. Or the days they would spend down at the beach in the summer, just talking and joking around. But as most people know, Nathan could never be tied down with any serious type of commitment. For whatever reason it was, he was scared of falling for someone. Scared of needing someone so much and uttering those three words, that he usually ran before it ever got that serious. But there was something different with Rachel. He had genuinely cared about her, so much to the point that when she left for Paris he admitted that he would miss her. And that was more than any other girl that dated him could ever say.

"Do you still keep in touch?"

"We text sometimes. Nothing major" He threw out nonchalantly, wondering why she seemed to be so interested.

"Did you love her?"

Nathans eyes shot to her in disbelief, his mouth falling open slightly at the bluntness of her question. "Why are you asking about her?" He challenged.

Haley shrugged, but offered no answer. Truth was she didn't have one. She didn't know why she insisted knowing about them or why she picked that of all things to talk about, or to even talk at all. Most of all, she couldn't figure out why she felt the sudden urge to cry because of some girl that was half way around the world.

The rest of the walk was made in an even more uncomfortable silence then what it started out it, and thankfully the apartment complex came into view within the next few minutes. As they made their way inside, Nathan flicked on the lights and Haley wordlessly walked into her bedroom shutting the door behind her. She flopped onto the bed, her flip flops falling to the floor. Her earlier conversation with Lucas was still replaying in her head and it took all she had not to scream.

"_You're not okay Hales. You think I don't notice how you flinch every time someone comes up behind you, or how worried you get when everyone is drinking, or the look in your eyes when Brooke talks about her family?"_

What was she supposed to do? She was dealing with it the best way she knew how: avoidance and denial. Those was her only options because if she did talk about she was fairly certain she would go insane.

Sighing, Haley pushed off the bed and changed out of her clothes and into a pair of black Soffee shorts and a pink tank top. As she opened her top drawer to pull out a pair of socks, something else caught her eye. She pulled out the small photo, a faint smile tugging at her lips as she looked down. It was a picture of her, Lydia, and Nathan right after he returned from basketball camp. Right before everything fell apart. Just as fast as her smile appeared, it was gone and before she even realized what was happening she was standing in the living room, her attention focused on Nathan who was seated on the couch.

"Why didn't you come see me when you found out my mom left? I mean I know we weren't friends then but god Nathan she just up and left, didn't you even wonder if I was okay? Didn't you think that I would need you? Didn't you think that I would be lost? Why didn't you care?!" Haley almost screamed, her voice cracking at the end. For the first time since he came back into her life she was making herself truly vulnerable, demanding answers for his shortcomings in the past. She crossed her arms over her chest tightly and held her ground, refusing to leave until he said something. He didn't even know half of what had happened, yet he still couldn't even apologize for the parts he did know about.

Nathan looked at her, his throat tightening and his mouth becoming dry. He had dreaded the moment she started looking for answers and he secretly hoped she never became strong enough to start. But he knew Haley better than that, he knew it would just be a matter of time. And now that time was here and he had no idea what to do, let alone what to say. He broke their gaze, his eyes focusing on the floor instead. He could still feel her eyes boring holes in him but he refused to look up and after a couple minutes of silence he finally heard the bedroom door slam, and released a small breath. He sat there contemplating everything Haley said, and wondering how with just a few questions she could make him feel more guilty then he ever had. Before he could back out or come up with an excuse on why he shouldn't say anything, Nathan pushed her bedroom door open just in time to see her getting into bed.

"After your mom left I came to your house every single day for well over a month. I got as far as the top of the driveway every time but I couldn't bring myself to knock on the door. God Haley I was so worried about you, but I was scared. I didn't know if you wanted me there. After everything that happened the last thing I wanted to do was make you more upset. You have no idea how many times I dialed your number to call you. I even wrote you a letter but I couldn't mail it. I wanted to be there for you Haley, but I didn't know how to be. Not after what I did. It killed me everyday knowing what you were going through and not being able to make it better, I just.. I didn't know what to do"

With that, he shut the door leaving Haley in the dark confines of her bedroom.

_**Please R/R x0Laura**_


	6. Moving On

_**Chapter 6**_

_**Moving On**_

Haley dug her toes into the cool sand as she made her way down the beach. It was one of those clear beautiful nights, the kind of night where you could see every star in the sky and the air was chilled by a subtle breeze. The flames danced in the distance and the waves lapped powerfully at the shore, creating a hum in the night. As she came closer upon the bon fire, she could recognize various people from school tangled in a sea of unfamiliar faces. People have been talking about the end of semester bon fire since what felt like forever. Everyone was excited to have a break and let loose. I guess it was fitting, celebrating the end of the semester by burning items from your past. Which was bound to be classwork for most. Everyone was drawn there for different reasons, to let go of the past, to move on, or of course just to party. Haley set the box down by the edge of the first crowd that was forming around the fire. She lingered for a moment before continuing her steps forward towards the various tables set up to supply the alcohol. Classes were finally on break and it felt so uplifting not to have to have her mind cluttered with a thousand different deadlines. It had been 2 weeks since Nathan had made his grand silence ending proclamation to Haley. The one in which he insisted he did care about her, especially during the time when Lydia had left. He just 'didn't know what to do about it'. Haley rolled her eyes for the millionth time thinking back to his excuse, becoming more and more annoyed by the words. She grabbed a bottle of beer off the table, popping the top and throwing the cap into the provided bucket. Her eyes scanned the crowd, looking for nobody in particular. Things had resolved with Lucas after the conversation on the beach, but she knew he was just dying to bring the subject back up and she was intent on avoiding it. She hadn't told him about the whole episode with Nathan, fearing she wouldn't be able to stomach any defense of his brother that he may have offered. She spotted Peyton and Brooke a little ways down the beach, engaging in some animated conversation with Brooke's hands moving around furiously as they both laughed. Haley smiled brightly when they noticed her, waving at her to join. She loved how carefree they seemed and in that moment she wanted to let herself go for the night the way most people her age do on a regular basis. Haley raised her beer to them in a sign of acknowledgement and suddenly felt it being tapped by another bottle.

'Cheers' He moved into her field of vision so quickly she wasn't even sure where he had come from. The smile fell from her face as her eyes took him in, he always looked so effortlessly perfect. No matter how much anger for him moved through her body she could never deny his looks. But she would try like hell to ignore them. Nathan offered the sentiment as a peace offering but judging by the disdain adorning her face he knew it was going to be a long shot.

Haley pulled her bottle away and back to her lips, taking a long sip before turning on her heels and walking away. She knew he was going to be here but did he have to insist on talking to her? The beach was more than big enough for them to continue avoiding each other all night. The last 2 weeks they had barley spoken any full sentences to each other, just various grunts and head nodding. There was just no point anymore. Haley built herself back up in the years that Nathan had disappeared, she was okay for the most part without him and it was going to stay like that. He didn't get to come back into her life and open old wounds just because he was ready to act like an adult.

Nathan followed behind her, trying to initiate some type of white flag waving. He wasn't delusional, he knew Haley wasn't just going to forgive him but he at least wanted her to know he wasn't the total piece of shit she had believe him to be for so long. Having her back in his life on a daily basis made him reminisce about the times when it was just the two of them against the world, even if he didn't want to. He knew his actions were wrong in high school, but that was so long ago. Was it going to be held against him forever? Having her living with him seemed like an indifferent situation at first, it didn't really affect him. It was nice to have her around again, plus the group of friends meshed so easily together. Things were fine. But this awkward silence and tension that now enveloped the apartment was becoming stressful. He didn't want to be walking on eggshells in his own place anymore. Either they were going to be friends or hate each other, talk or scream at each other, there didn't seem to be any in between.

'Haley just tell me what you want me to do' He reached out his hand, tugging on her arm and making her face him. It was bad enough that he was chasing after her understanding, he wasn't going to literally chase her as well.

She let out a long sigh and stopped, knowing he would just keep following her. Her eyes drifted up to his and she consciously told herself to ignore how deeply blue they were. She had spent so much time admiring his gorgeous eyes throughout the years, it was undeniably the first thing anyone noticed about him. Haley sighed again, wanting things to be so different but unable to ignore the fact that things were the way they were and there was no changing that fact. Not to mention Nathan played one of the most significant roles in the downfall of everything that she used to know. And that couldn't be forgiven.

'Maybe you should write another letter' Haley bit out, pulling her arm away from his touch. She took another gulp of her beer, and turned away from him once again, wishing he would just leave her alone. Since when was he concerned with her rather than being the center of everyone else's attention.

'What is wrong with you, you asked me to tell you the truth and I did' Nathan chastised, getting frustrated. He didn't need this, he didn't need to beg for forgiveness. He thought giving her somewhat of an explanation of how stuck he felt before would help. But it just seemed to make things worse, which is exactly why he never attempted it before.

'Well I guess I regret that too' Haley shrugged, walking up to the table again. She finished the last of her bottle and discarded the bottle before popping the top of another. 'Just like I regret ever talking to you again, forever thinking that this could actually be a good idea'

'Haley I meant what I said. I wanted to be there for you, I just didn't know how..' He tried again but was cut off by her voice.

'What does that mean Nathan?! Do you think that's an excuse? Is it supposed to make me feel better? It's not comforting to know that while I was consistently falling apart more and more every day that you were just right outside the door or on the other end of the phone, and you still did nothing because 'you didn't know how' She made the fake air quotes with one hand as she spoke, her voice dripping with venom.

'You know what I didn't know how to do? I didn't know how to live without my mother or live without you or live in the nightmare that became my life when you decided to walk out' Haley nearly screamed, drawing the prying eyes of some members of the crowd. She blinked her eyes furiously, refusing to let the tears fall. She would not cry about this tonight.

'Lucas was there for you, I knew he would make you okay' Nathan countered, ignoring the stares. What was he supposed to do? Just show up one day after months and try to comfort her? Tell her to cry on his shoulder? How disingenuous would that have seemed? Or was he supposed to call so she could hang up on him? His ego wouldn't allow anyone to have the upper hand over him.

'Oh Lucas was there?' Haley laughed bitterly. 'So that makes it better because your brother was there? Do you think he wanted to take care of me like that? Do you think he wanted to worry about his pathetic best friend once he moved away to start over and focus on himself and his new life? The depths of your selfish attitude truly amaze me' She shook her head and once again walked away, this time faster. Haley moved her way through the crowd wanting to get away from him, from this conversation. She was tired, there was no energy left to rehash events that he still knew absolutely nothing about.

'You're not pathetic' Nathan offered sheepishly. He watched as she ignored him, pushed past him for what seemed like the hundredth time. He was done with this, people didn't ignore him, and people didn't push him away. That's not how it was supposed to work, he wasn't used to it and he didn't like it. And as a result his defenses came up.

'Why can't you let the past go? You hold onto shit you can't control and look how unhappy you are. Your miserable and it ruins the people around you' His comment was borderline cruel and not entirely true. She could never ruin anything. But still, she was holding onto his past mistakes and making it impossible for him to apologize or to just make things the least bit civil.

Haley closed her eye tightly, her whole body radiating with anger. She could feel her grip on the glass bottle tightening and for the slightest second she thought about smashing it. He was so clueless, so naïve. She took a deep breath, and then another. It was partially her fault because she would never disclose the details to him, especially after all this time. Everything was just so wrong in the situation.

'Your right Nathan, I should learn how to let go' She took another step forward to where she had stood earlier that night. Haley grabbed the top of the box with one hand and pushed passed him. Nathan stayed frozen in his place this time, immediately recognizing the box. He watched as she made her way around the fire until she was standing in a clearing on the other side. She placed the beer down in the sand next to her feet and took a step closer, emptying the contents into the flames. Everything tumbled out, immediately igniting and sending a rush of golden embers into the air. A few people clapped for the tradition, oblivious to the significance. Nathan watched as the memories turned to ash, the sinking feeling in his stomach becoming harder to ignore. He didn't think she would do that, and he didn't know why it hurt so damn bad either. Haley reached down and picked up her beer, bringing it to her lips as her eyes locked with his through the flames. Their eyes stayed tangled on one another for a moment before Haley turned and walked away. This time, Nathan let her.

Haley caught sight of Lucas to the right of everyone, seemingly watching the entire throw down. She continued walking, averting her gaze to ignore the eye contact Lucas was desperately trying to make. She continued pushing past people, emerging herself further into the crowd. The smell of alcohol and smoke overpowering her senses. Normally she would have gone to the water's edge, watched the waves push their way onto the shore while she basked in the moonlight. But not tonight. Tonight, she wanted to drown the world out with noise. Her waist swayed rhythmically with the music, her hair bounced along her neck and her mouth was wet with beer. She smiled, relieved to finally enjoy the moment.

'Haley don't you think that was slightly excessive' Lucas prodded, appearing in front of her faster than she had expected. He knew she was going to regret it. She had held onto that stuff for years, even when things were the worst they ever were at home, she never threw his stuff out. And now not only was the stuff gone, but it was burned to ashes.

Haley didn't answer, her hips continuing to move to the beat of the song. A thin smile stretched over her lips while she looked at him. She outstretched her free had and ran it along his chest, inviting him to dance with her.

'Haley..' Lucas spoke again, ignoring her invitation.

'I don't want to talk about it' Her tone was light as she swayed side to side.

'Haley you can't just..' His thoughts were cut off, Haley's voice more adamant than the first time.

'No, Lucas okay? I'm done. I don't need that shit anymore. And I definitely don't need to have a conversation about it'. With that, her feet carried her in a different direction, her arms above her head as she smiled and tossed her hair behind her. The music, the night air, the strong feel of alcohol coursing through her veins, it was all enough to pull her into a different world.

_**Please R/R x0Laura**_


	7. The Storm

_**Hey guys, so the previous chapter is where I left off in Finding You Again and this chapter here would be the brand new update. I really hope you guys are liking the flow of the sotry and where it is headed. There is some much needed cute Naley interaction here, I know it's been pretty angsty so far. Hope you guys like, please R/R! As always I, unfortuantley, own nothing !**_

_**Thank you all to have reviewed, it means everything! **_

_**Chapter 7**_

_**The Storm**_

The grey clouds rolled across the sky, the darkness enveloping the once sunny day. It created an ominous effect, strange for the light to be dampened so early in the afternoon. It was in these moments that one could see how powerful the weather was, and how small we truly were in the world. The ocean swelled, crashing violent waves onto the shore. The wind whipped through the air, aggressively sweeping up the debris from the ground and scattering them. The rain began to fall like rivers from the sky. Thunder boomed in the distance and the lightening crackled hues of purple in the sky. The storm was here, promising to upturn anything in its path.

It had been six weeks since the bon fire, since Haley's declaration to 'let go'. The air between her and Nathan had been chilled the first week or so, but has since mellowed out. They went from completely avoiding each other, to outright arguing, to now just being civil. For the most part. Classes had started again and Haley put most of her energy into getting through the assignments, while Nathan was cycling between parties every night and basketball practice every day. Their schedules didn't conflict much, which was helping keep the peace.

Haley poured a glass of red wine, sipping it before deciding whether or not she liked it. Pleasantly surprised with the taste, she poured a generous amount and smiled to herself. _Why not._ Haley walked to the glass doors, wine in hand, and watched as the palm trees swayed in the wind. Storms always had a calming effect on her, she loved raw power behind them. Until the lights went out. She looked down at her phone, sighing at the realization that it was already after 5 and Nathan still wasn't home. Not that she really cared, but if the lights did go out, she didn't want to be alone in the darkness. Taking another long sip, she made her way to the corner of the living room and pulled the portable speaker from one of the shelves. It had proved to be one of her best investments, perfect for those warm nights at the beach when the air needed to be filled with music. It was proving to come in handy again tonight. She connected her phone via Bluetooth and increased the volume as the music started to play.

Fast forward 3 glasses of wine later and the music had gotten considerably louder, and Haleys' dance moves had become significantly more embarrassing. She continued twirling and maneuvering her hips along to the beat of the songs, truly dancing like nobody was watching. With one dramatic twist, a wave of wine toppled out of the glass, splashing onto the white rug beneath her feet.

'Shit!' Haley shrieked, rushing to put the glass on the counter and grab a rag and cleaner. Nathan went on and on about how no food or drinks were allowed by the rug. _'It's white and it's going to stay white' _She mocked_. 'There's nothing worse than dirt on a white rug' _ She continued. _'Are you a savage? Don't step on the rug with your shoes' _He would yell. Nathan would go as far as rolling up the rug for safe keeping during parties. What was the point? So much extra effort. _Just get a black rug. _Haley rolled her eyes as she blotted the stain with a cleaner and a damp cloth. Red wine destroyed fabric, she was pretty sure there was even a warning label about it on the bottle. Or at least there should be. With a frustrated grunt, Haley stood and made her way to find a stronger cleaner. As she looked through the cabinet under the kitchen sink she browsed her options before deciding on the box of oxi-clean. Startled at an especially loud boom of thunder, Haley paused her efforts to look out the window. The sky resembled charcoal now and the rain seemed to be coming in from all different directions. A crackle of lightening made her jump and the darkness immediately followed.

'Shit' Haley repeated. _What now?_ The apartment was almost entirely cloaked in darkness, the light from the windows minimal at most. She took another sip of wine before placing the half empty glass on the counter and making her way down the hallway. If she was going to be stuck in the dark, she as at least going to pee with the last remaining light there was. The urgency of the situation probably would have been more significant had she not been drinking. But the wine was keeping her relaxed and Haley sang, out of tune, along to the music while she washed her hands in the bathroom. As she shut the water off, she could hear the faint noise of something banging around and she paused to take a better listen.

Nathan muttered a string of curses as he made his way up the fire escape, becoming more and more agitated with himself for leaving his duffel bag at practice. How could he forget literally the only thing he carried? He was going to have to make a change as far as his late nights were concerned. Sleeping for a few hours after a night of partying and immediately going to practice, sitting through classes, and returning to an even more grueling practice was becoming impossible. Every muscle in his body hurt and his head felt someone had taken a hammer to it. The rain grew more intense and he had to grip the handrails to keep from losing his balance on the slick metal. As he stepped onto the landing, he grunted in frustration that the patio furniture was not tied up. He leaned the 2 metal chairs against the glass table, creating leverage from the wind. He removed the umbrella from the center of the table and placed it long ways across the top. Nathan bent down to secure the ties underneath but a sudden gust of wind sent the umbrella crashing to the ground, knocking into his head on its way down. Nathan cursed louder this time, frustrated with the whole situation. He grabbed at the ties roughly and secured the umbrella in place before jumping to his feet. Grabbing the handle on the sliding glass door he pulled it open forcefully and stepped inside, kicking his wet shoes off before closing and locking the door behind him. The apartment was dark and he struggled to see anything, barley making out the outline of the furniture in front of him. 'Haley?' He questioned, the music was loud but he couldn't decipher where in the room it was coming form yet. He stepped forward but tripped over something on the floor and stumbled the rest of way forward before grabbing the wall in order to steady himself.

The noises became louder and Haley was now suddenly alarmed. _It has to be Nathan _she repeated over and over. _But why wouldn't he come in the front door? _The question made her uneasy and all the nights of binge watching true crime documentaries was enabling her imagination to run wild. She opened the bathroom door only an inch and peered out of the small gap. The natural light had faded quickly and the apartment was now completely dark. It sounded like something was being knocked over, like someone was stumbling around. She fumbled with her cellphone, struggling to unlock it. Haley was aware the noise was getting closer, _they were getting closer_. She glanced around the bathroom for anything she could defend herself with, but came up empty. She had remembered she left her shoes in there from the night before, and felt around on the floor until she felt them in her grasp. Taking a deep breath, and saying a silent prayer, Haley made her way down the darken hallway. Inching forward slowly she padded across the floor before propelling herself around the corner, swinging the stiletto shoe blindly in front of her.

Nathan screamed, throwing his hands up, deflecting whatever object that was coming towards him. 'Damn Haley what are you doing?' He asked loudly.

Relief flooded through her at the sound of his voice but was quickly replaced with anger. 'Me? What are you doing?' She asked, matching his tone as she tried to overpower the music that was still playing.

'I don't have my key' Nathan answered simply

'So you scale the side of the building?' Haley snorted. Like that makes any sense

'I went up the fire escape, how else was I going to get in?' Nathan walked to the coffee table, wanting to throw the speaker off the balcony but settling for lowering the volume.

'You could have called me back. I called 10 times' Haley suggested, crossing her arms over her chest, stiletto still in hand.

'My phone is dead. My charger is in my bag, which I left at practice' Nathan sighed, annoyed at having to explain everything. He just wanted quiet. And to lay down. 'Why are the lights out?' He questioned

Haley huffed 'I don't know wandering around in the dark just seemed like a fun idea' She replied sarcastically.

'Did you reset the breaker?' Nathan asked

'There's a breaker?' Haley countered

'Where are the flashlights?'

'There are flashlights?'

'Oh my god, were you just going to sit in the dark?'

'Well I was going to call Lucas..'

'Just give me your phone so I can use the light to hit the switch' Nathan requested, exhausted with the exchange.

Haley unlocked her phone and turned the flashlight on, she pointed it towards Nathan and immediately gasped

'What happened to your head? Did I do that?' Haley asked loudly, grabbing his face in her hand and turning him to look at her. Blood was matted down the side of his temple, while fresh crimson dripped from a laceration on the side of his forehead.

'You mean when you attacked me with some pointy ass shoe? No, the umbrella fell on me. When I was tying down the furniture so it wouldn't be flying all over the neighborhood' He answered, touching the side of his head and bringing his fingers down to the light to see a small amount of blood coating them.

'Oh. I definitely forgot about the furniture' Haley responded sheepishly.

'Sit down, I'll clean the cut up'

'Let me try the breaker first' Nathan used the light from the phone to guide him to closet at the end of the hall. He pushed the mass of clothing out of the way and squinted looking at the circuit breaker, not really having any idea what to actually do. He sighed pressing various switches before concluding the power was definitely out.

'The power must be out in the whole building'

'I could have told you that and I didn't even know there was a breaker' Haley responded

Nathan fished around at the bottom of the closet, knowing he had stored flashlights in there when he first moved in. Why was nothing ever in the same place as it was left? After another moment of moving around random items, none of which he needed, he found one flashlight.

'This is going to have to do for now' He clicked the light on checking the battery, satisfied at how bright it actually was. He handed Haley back her phone and shut the closet, ignoring the sound of something falling down behind the door.

Haley pointed the phone light back towards him 'Now go sit down so I can clean the cut'

Nathan squinted, shielding the light with his hand. 'Its fine, it's nothing'

'Would you just go sit down!' Haley repeated

Nathan sighed but obliged, walking to the kitchen and hopping up on the granite counter. He left the flash light switched on beside him, the bright light illuminating a small space around them.

Haley tore 2 paper towels from the roll, dampening one with water and keeping the other dry. She stepped between his legs and using the light as a guide, began cleaning the small trail of blood. Haley tilted his head to the side for better access, holding two fingers against his jaw to keep me in place. She bit her bottom lip subconsciously when he winced, a 'sorry' tumbling out barley above a whisper. Nathans eyes roamed over her, suddenly more aware of the fact that she had little to no clothing on. Clad only in shorts and a tank top, he could see her curves even within the shadows.

'I think you're going to live' Haley stated, content with the way the cut looked after it was cleaned. It was less severe than she thought, all of the blood made it seem more dramatic. Her fingers lingered on his jawline even after she was finished.

'Until you start swinging another pair of shoes again'

'Well it's the only thing I could find. You really should have played baseball, or golf. At least your sports equipment would double as weapons'

'Golf? Could you imagine me playing golf?'

'I could see you crashing the cart they drive around'

They both chuckled at the thought. Silence stretched between them for a moment, each increasingly aware of their close proximity.

'The power might be out for awhile' Nathan spoke, his voice low

Haley nodded 'Yeah'

'Well I want to change out of these wet clothes and shower before we lose the hot water'

'Okay' Haley nodded again, stepping away from him. She gathered the paper towels she had used, crumbling them into a ball and tossing them into the garbage can. She refilled her wine glass, adding the empty bottle to the trash and sighed. She probably should have drank slower. As Nathan made his way down the hallway with the flashlight, Haley made her way into the living room with the light from her phone. She turned the volume back up on the speaker, took another sip of wine, and began swaying to the beat of the music.

Nathan made his way out of his bedroom, finally in dry comfortable clothing. 'What are you doing?' He questioned, watching Haley as she danced theatrically around the living room.

'You were gone foreveeeer' Haley whined, dragging out the last word. She had since finished the wine and with nothing else to do in a power outage, she promptly opened a bottle of tequila. A few shots later and the liquor proved to be having notable effects of happiness.

'I hope you didn't want to shower, we're officially out of hot water' Nathan answered, he crossed his arms over his chest and took in the sight before him, a playful smile on his lips.

'I just want to danceeee' Haley giggled, her moves uncoordinated and unbalanced, but fun nonetheless.

'Well I'm going to need like 7 beers before that happens' Nathan replied, walking towards the couch. He set down the flashlight on the table, noticing the bottle for the first time.

'How about 3 shots instead?' Haley offered, filling up the 2 shot glasses without waiting for a response. Nathan laughed, not expecting to find her drunk off tequila of all things. He accepted the glass and after clinking them together they both consumed the shot. Nathan grimaced but Haley was used to the burn by now, her body feeling the warmth coursing through. Haley increased the volume again on the speaker and began dancing around. Or jumping and flailing her arms.

'Come on, catch up' She asserted, filing both shot glasses again and pushing them in his direction before returning to her choreography.

Nathan chuckled and obliged. It had been a long time since he saw Haley so carefree. Or intoxicated. And an even longer time since he saw her being, dare he say it, nice to him? Lucas usually got this version of her and he had to admit he was jealous of that sometimes. The looks that could kill and sarcastic attitude that was reserved for him was only partly satisfying.

'Don't you have cups for beer pong?' Haley wondered

'You know what beer pong is?' Nathan feigned shock

'Just because I don't play with you, doesn't mean I don't play'

'Hmm that must be apart of the wild side your so intent on hiding from me'

'You couldn't handle it' Haley laughed, refilling their shot glasses

Nathan smirked at her response before downing the shot

'How about cards?'

'Your boyfriend has them' Nathan teased

Haley rolled her eyes. 'Jealously doesn't suit you' She pondered what they could do, she was becoming dizzy from the excessive dancing but the alcohol would not allow her to sit still. She wandered around the back of the couch, trying to figure out something to entertain herself. She caught sight of the fuzzy blue socks she was wearing and smiled, immediately thinking of an idea.

'Give me the flashlight' Haley requested, holding her hand out.

Nathan reached forward and grabbed the light before handing it to her. Haley disappeared down the hallway, only to emerge a few moments later. She stood in front of him, almost giddy.

'Let's play sock slide' Haley suggested enthusiastically, holding out a pair of pink fuzzy socks in her hand.

'What?' Nathan deadpanned, his eye brow rising up in confusion

'You know. Sock Slide' She spoke the words slower this time as if he should be well versed in what she was saying. 'Me and Taylor used to play all the time. We would put on our fuzzy socks and slide all over the hardwood floors. Half the time Tay would knock into everything' Haley laughed, thinking back on the how innocently she used to spend her time.

'And that was .. fun?' Nathan asked wearily, still ignoring the socks in her outstretched hand

Haley rolled her eyes. 'Yes! Now let's play. You don't have any better suggestions anyway'

'You want me to slide around on the floor with you, wearing..' He grabbed the socks from her hand 'Pink socks? Let me correct that, pink _fuzzy_ socks?'

'Yup. We'll slide down the hallway. Whoever slides the furthest has to pour a shot for the loser' Haley smiled triumphantly, content with the rules of the game she had just made up. She poured 2 shots to get them started and took hers while still holding onto Nathans.

'Let me at least wear the blue ones' Nathan requested, eyeing her feet

'Nope. I'm already wearing them. Just put the socks on Nathan before I do it for you'

Nathan huffed but did as he was told. He slipped his feet into socks, mumbling about the size, before standing up and taking his shot from Haleys hand.

'You know your weird right?' He asked incredulously, placing the now empty glass back on the table.

Haley clapped her hands, ignoring his comment. 'Okay so we'll start from the back of the hall by my bedroom, run, slide and see who goes further'

Nathan followed Haley's lead and the two used the glossy hardwood floor as a slip and slide for the next 15 minutes. Nathan's reluctant laughter filled the air and Haley openly giggled as they knocked into each other repeatedly in the small space.

'This isn't fair you're cheating!' Haley proclaimed, losing yet again. 'You're using your long legs to get ahead'

'What am I supposed to do about it? I'm sorry you're vertically challenged' Nathan laughed, filling her glass before handing it over.

'I need more space, you're in my space that's the problem!' Haley drank the shot back like it was water and handed back the glass. 'You slide first this time, then I'm going to slide'

'Okay stumpy, whatever you say' Nathan joked. He took one last shot for good measure before retreating to the end of the hall. He took off in a running start, turned his body slightly and outstretched his arms like he was flying. Nathan laughed, knowing she wasn't going to beat his distance but wanting to see her try.

'What are you doing?' Lucas asked slowly, almost afraid of the answer. Before Nathan could respond, Haley came sliding down the hallway at full speed, barreling into him and sending them both into Lucas.

She erupted into a fit of laughter, barley able to get out the words 'Lucas! What are you doing here?' before another fit of giggles took over.

Lucas chuckled at her obvious drunken state. 'Neither of you were answering the phone, just wanted to make sure you were okay. But clearly..' He motioned up and down at the two of them. 'Why are you guys still in the dark?' He questioned, feeling along the wall until he came to the switch. Light quickly flooded the room.

'Nathan the lights are on!' Haley exclaimed and Nathan threw his hands above his head in victory.

'Yeah..the power has been back on for like 2 hours' Lucas stated matter-of-factly

'Do you want to play sock slide with us?' Haley asked animatedly, her voice 2 octaves higher than needed. Without waiting for answer she scrambled back to the 'starting line' and prepared to launch herself back down the hall.

Lucas shook his head 'No, but I will have some of whatever your drinking' Lucas walked to the table, their current state more understandable once he saw the nearly empty bottle of tequila. He poured a shot, quickly swallowing before he could feel the burn of the liquor. He looked at Nathan, taking in his appearance for the first time before laughing.

'Don't ask man. Is this the kind of shit the tow of you do together?' Nathan shook his head. He wouldn't admit it but he was having fun. A lot of fun. It was nice to hang out with Haley stress free without all the heated arguments.

Lucas was going to respond with some off hand sarcastic comment but something distracted him.

'What died on your rug?' Lucas questioned, taking notice of the large red stain on the otherwise pristine white rug. He laughed as Nathan followed his gaze, his expression turning from joy to seething anger in mere seconds.

Nathan walked closer to the rug, he hadn't noticed it before because it was so dark. He looked from the stained rug to Lucas, and back again. His mouth falling open wider the longer he starred at the ruined fabric.

'HALEY!'

Nathan's voice boomed through the apartment as Lucas tried to stifle his laughter.

_**What do you guys think? Please R/R x0Laura**_


	8. Pasta with a Side of Effort

_**Dedicated to thibbs65, thanks for the reviews :) Feel free to suggest anything you would like to see happen, I would love to fit in any of your requests! This of course goes for everyone else as well - I'd love to hear suggestions! Please R/R, feedback is my motivation! I Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! **_

_**Chapter 8**_

_**Pasta with a Side of Effort**_

It had been about a week since the storm passed through and things were beginning to return to normal. The downed trees were removed and all remaining debris seemed to have been cleaned up, leaving no evidence of the dangerous conditions that once grasped their city. Things seemed to have quieted down in the apartment too. For maybe the first time since the whole living arrangement commenced, there didn't seem to such an underlying tension. Haley and Nathan went about their business and even engaged in small talk. They weren't pouring out their souls to each other, but it was a start. Things were better. Except the rug, that was still a sore spot.

Haley sauntered around the kitchen, wiping her hands on her sweat pants before pulling down two plates from the cabinet. She grabbed silverware next and placed the settings on the table, to the side of the salad bowl. She returned to the stove, stirring the sauce and taking a small taste. _More salt._

Nathan walked in the front door, dropping his bag casually on the side of the couch. He plugged his phone into the charger by the counter, noticing the plates set on the table. He rounded the corner into the kitchen to find Haley over the stove.

'You're making dinner?' Nathan questioned

'Trying to' Haley replied, stirring the newly added salt into the mixture of sauce

'Really?' The only time they ever ate together was if they were out with the rest of the group of friends. He was fairly sure this was the first time either of them even used the stove since moving in.

'Relax it's just pasta' She answered nonchalantly, dumping the cooked noodles into the sauce

'With Alfredo sauce? That's my favorite' Nathan asked, trying to peer into the pots

'I know. That's why I used red sauce' Haley countered, a small laugh escaping when she saw the look on his face. 'Get the garlic bread' She requested, carrying the large bowl of pasta to the table and setting it down.

Nathan joined her after a few moments and the two each made a plate of pasta and a bowl of salad. Nathan watched as she twirled the pasta on her fork, oddly happy to be sharing a meal with her. It wasn't a big deal, but for her to actually prepare a dinner, and allow him to eat, felt like 10 steps forward. So far he was only used to taking steps backwards with her.

'So how's basketball?' Haley threw out, taking another bite of her food. Her first assumption about moving in had been entirely incorrect. There was no way to just co-exist and act like the past didn't happen, but there was also no way to move forward if she wasn't at least willing to try. Minimal effort to start.

'Good. I love it. It's a lot of work, but it doesn't feel like work ya know?' Nathan answered. He started with his salad, adding Balsamic dressing and mixing it up.

'That's good' Haley nodded

'There's an away game next week. You should come' He suggested casually, taking a fork full of lettuce up to his mouth. 'The girls will be there anyway' He said, referencing Brooke and Peyton being on the cheer team.

'Maybe. My schedule is going to be a mess, I have all these extra shifts coming up'

'Why? You don't need rent money do you? Cause I can..' Nathan started to offer but Haley waved her hand dismissively.

'No, no. I just want the extra hours. I don't mind work. It's not easy, my work definitely _feels like work_. But I like it, I like the challenge. Plus I'm networking' She had definitely come to realize how important it was to know the right people. Doing well in school and work meant less if you don't make the connections to get you where you want to be along the way. She was going to be a writer, traveling different places and experiencing different cultures. That was the goal anyway.

'I don't know how you work full time plus keep up, no, excel, in classes at the same time' Nathan spoke as he finished his salad and started in on his pasta. He could barely keep up with his two classes and basketball, let alone a full time job.

'It's good to keep busy' She needed to stay distracted otherwise her mind would wander and that was never a good thing. Haley had always preferred to stay busy, always picked up extra shifts at the café even when she didn't need the money. She was never one to be content with just lounging around and relaxing. But given everything that transpired during the end of high school, staying distracted was not only beneficial, it was essential.

There was a short silence, broken only by knocking on the door.

'What, did you smell the food cooking?' Haley teased, opening the door before walking away, leaving Lucas standing in the doorway.

'I came to drop off Nathans bag' Lucas replied, dropping the duffle bag on the side of the couch, right on top of his other one. 'Stop leaving shit in my car'

'Thanks man' Nathan replied, ignoring his last comment

'Why do you need 2 duffel bags anyway?' Lucas questioned

'It's a system' Nathan answered, declining further detail

'Don't forget you gotta be at the gym by 6 tomorrow'

Nathan only nodded, continuing to eat his food without looking up

Lucas peered over the table, reaching across Haley and plucking a piece of lettuce from the salad bowl.

'Could you be more of a savage?' She asked

Lucas simply repeated the action

'Doesn't Brooke feed you?' Haley spoke

'Yeah right, She's less domesticated than you are'

'Excuse me? Domesticated? You sound like you're talking about farm animals' Haley looked up at him

'Moooooo' Nathan vibrated his lips together, imitating the animal

Haley raised her eyebrow, now turning her attention to Nathan 'Did you just moo at me?'

'I bet a cow wouldn't have ruined my rug' Nathan chastised, eyeing her closely as she poured a glass of wine

'It's white wine, I don't want to hear anything' Haley said defensively. She had yet to hear the end of that stupid rug. She could never understand why people insisted on having white furniture, it was bound to get ruined. Just save the headache and start with a dark color from the beginning.

'Since when do you cook anyway?' Lucas asked incredulously, still picking at the salad with his bare fingers

'That's what I said' Nathan stated

'I didn't even know you knew how to cook' Lucas went on

'That's what I said' Nathan continued

'Well I can guarantee this is the last time I'm allowing either of you to eat anything I do cook' Haley huffed taking a sip of wine

'Can you make Alfredo sauce next time instead?' Lucas questioned

'That's what I..' Nathan trailed off, dodging a piece of garlic bread that was coming at him from Haleys direction

'Well on that note..' Lucas laughed stealing a garlic stick and planting a kiss on Haley's head before heading for the door. 'Don't want to crash your date after all'

Haley rolled her eyes, stabbing at the remaining pasta in her dish. The rest of the meal passed in silence. For once it wasn't an awkward silence though, or one filled with tension. It was simply two people enjoying dinner, lost in their own thoughts. They each cleaned up after, throwing away trash and loading the dishwasher.

'Dinner was good' Nathan complimented. 'Thank you'

Haley simply smiled in response. She wouldn't admit it aloud, but the short time together was fun. Joking around the dinner table with Nathan and Lucas, or more accurately, getting made fun of by Nathan and Lucas, felt like old times.

The next few days passed by rather uneventfully, everyone caught up in their own affairs. Haley had started working her double shifts on the days she didn't have classes and Nathan was practicing for the game nearly all day, every day. Even the frequent nights of lounging on the beach as a group had been put on pause.

'Nathan get out of the bathroom!' Haley exclaimed, knocking on the door loudly. It was already almost 5:30am, she needed to start her morning routine otherwise she would be late. Not to mention the 2 bottles of water before bed were doing her absolutely no favors right now.

'I'm showering' He responded through the door

'I have to pee' Haley whined, leaning her head against the door

'So pee' He deadpanned

This whole week they had been fighting over the bathroom, their schedules conflicting in ways it usually had not. Double shifts meant Haley started her day earlier, and extra practices had Nathan up at the crack of dawn. Subsequently, putting the two of them in each other's way.

Haley stomped her foot in frustration, blowing out a slow breath. She opened the door slowly, half expecting him to be standing in the middle of the room naked.

'Do not come out of that shower, I swear to god..' She warned, sitting down and rushing herself as much as possible. 'You know me and Tay didn't even fight over the bathroom this much. How are you always in the way..' She pondered, shaking her head

'It would be less of an issue if you would just shower with me..' Nathan smirked, it was so amusing to annoy her. 'I'm serious, think of how much time we would save..'

'Do you ever get tired of speaking nonsense?'

Nathan laughed, debating if he should step out of the shower without his towel just to hear how loud Haley would yell. Due to personal safety, he opted against it. After shutting off the water he secured a white towel around his waist and pulled the curtain back. Haley stood at the sink, preparing her toothbrush. She rolled her eyes as he stepped towards her, water still dripping from his chest. His bare, chiseled, chest.

'I suppose now you need to use the sink right?'

'I'll wait for you to finish' He stood behind her, running a comb through his wet hair

Haley began brushing her teeth, meeting his gaze in the mirror_. Did he have to stand so close?_ She rolled her eyes again, something she felt she did at least 200 times a day now. Nathan reached around her, grabbing his deodorant off the vanity before applying it. He smirked at the way she tried to inch forward to avoid physical contact, but the sink left her with no room to maneuver. He could see the red tint on her cheeks when she turned around to face him, their bodies only inches apart.

'Thank you for being as annoying as possible before the sun even comes up'

'My pleasure Hales, let me know what you decide about the co-showering'

She hated that he could make her blush with just a look. Those beautiful blue eyes proved to never have lost their mesmerizing effect on her, even after all these years. Haley scoffed, dismissing the not-so-innocent thoughts his close proximity was making her develop.

'I'm going to sleep as soon as I come home tonight, so try not to stomp around like a wilderbeast when you come in' She spoke, pushing past him and quickly dipping out of the bathroom.

After an intensely long day Nathan walked into the dark apartment, kicking the door shut behind him. He was exhausted. Utterly and completely exhausted. Training was even harsher than usual in preparation for the upcoming game. Normally he didn't mind the grueling practices but they were starting to take a toll. He had promised himself he would slow down on the parties, but had yet to do so. That was now moved to the priority list. He dropped his duffle bag on the side of the couch, lacking any energy to store away its contents tonight. He had already showered at the gym but needed to eat something before he passed out from starvation rather than exhaustion. Running a hand through his still damp hair, he kicked his shoes off and padded into the kitchen. He scanned the refrigerator quickly and determined devouring a bowl of cereal would be his best option. Retrieving a bowl from the cabinet, his eyes caught notice of a blue post it on the microwave.

_Don't say I never gave you anything_

Nathan pulled the appliance door open cautiously, as if something were waiting inside to bite him. His lips stretched into a smile and he chuckled softly, tucking the note into the pocket of his basketball shorts rather than throwing it out.

_Pasta with Alfredo sauce_

**_Please R/R x0Laura_**


	9. Our World

_**thibbs65 - As always thank you for reviewing! I always look forward to hearing from you! **_

_**RedHeadedVal - I think the slow angst is so important to the development of the story! Glad you like it too! **_

_**MRBR - I'm glad your liking the story so far! Feel free to suggest anything you would like to see happen! **_

**_Guest - Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad you like the story! Very good predicition!_ **

**Thank you for the kind words of all that have taken the time to review thus far, it means so much! **

**I hope you all like this next chapter! Please R/R! x0Laura **

**Our World**

**Chapter 9**

'Haley, please! You have to!'

'Well since you said please..still no!'

The three girls were lounging around Brooke and Peyton's dorm room. More specifically, Peyton was lounging while Brooke paced the room and Haley avoided eye contact.

'Come one Haley, you would totally be saving me!' Brooke whined, continuing her rapid steps around the small space.

'I don't even know if I'm going to the game, I have work to do!' Haley answered as she typed away on her laptop. Ever since she had picked up the extra shifts at work she seemed to be falling behind in school work. Well, Haley's version of falling behind anyway. The current week assignments were already done, but what about the next week? Procrastination was not a word in her very expansive vocabulary.

'Haley. You're going. It's not even a discussion. What we need to discuss however, is how you're going to do your hair. I think high pony tail rather than ballerina bun'

'Brooke! I'm not a cheerleader! Have you seen how uncoordinated I am?!'

'It's true, she has no balance' Peyton chimed in, agreeing. Her head hung off the side of the bed, her blonder curls raining down like a waterfall.

'See! Thank you' Haley waved a hand in Peytons direction, happy for the support

'Haley you'll be fine. Just don't overthink it' Brooke reassured 'Come on, you're the only one who has seen our whole routine. You know all the steps'

She shook her head. 'I can assure you I do not remember any of the steps'

'Haley! I'm not taking no for an answer. Alex sprained her ankle so she's useless! At least you can stand on two feet! You don't even have to do allll of the moves, but I need at least 6 girls for my formation otherwise my life will be ruined'

'And que the dramatics' Peyton retorted

'Aren't there back up plans in place in case something like this happens? Don't you guys have a bench full of girls on the sidelines that you can pull in?'

'If there was do you think I'd be here begging?' Brooke put her hands on her hips, determined to get her way

'I just don't think you have an accurate visual of me in high school. I was_ not_ a cheerleader' Haley emphasized

'It's true, her version of an extreme sport was reading a semesters work of book assignments in a month' Peyton laughed

'This is not high school, Haley! This is time to show everyone that you're no longer a nerd and are in fact a grown up, mature, sexy, bad-ass adult'

'By jumping around in a mini skirt and crop top?'

'PEYTON. Would you help me out here' Brooke shrieked, exhausted

'I'm sure Nathan has always had a fantasy about cheerleaders..' Peyton sing songed, her voice trailing off as she dodged the pillow Haley threw at her head.

'One. Single Game. Brooke' Haley spoke each word slower than the next, intent on making sure Brooke knew this was a one-time deal only. 'And you owe me' She closed her lap top and hopped off the bed, slipping her flip lops on. 'You see, this is exactly why I don't come over here' Haley huffed, making her way towards the door.

'Thank you!' Brooke squealed loudly, but received only the door slamming closed as a response.

The next few days had flown by and Haley found herself regretting ever agreeing to Brooke's pleas. She had been meeting, in secret, with the squad to get up to speed with the routines. It didn't matter though, she could have practiced for months rather than days and it still would have yielded the same uncoordinated mess of results. Now it was the morning of the game and all she wanted to do was fake the flu, or a broken ankle, and crawl back into bed. She sighed once more while looking in the mirror and sprayed a final layer of hairspray over her ponytail. Brooke had given her strict instructions on how her hair should be worn _'High pony, but not too high. 2 side pieces to frame her face, but not too centered that they block her eyes. 2 coatings of hairspray, enough to keep it stiff, but not too much to make it crunch' _You would think they were entering a high end beauty pageant with a million dollar reward. Haley sighed for the umpteenth time before cautiously opening the door. She was hoping Nathan would have been gone by the time she was ready to leave, but she could hear the blender in the kitchen and knew there was no hope of escaping him.

'Not one syllable, Nathan' Haley warned, walking into the kitchen. _Just act normal, maybe he wouldn't even notice_

Nathan glanced up at the sound of her voice, but had to do a double take. Then a triple take. The smirk instantly formed on his lips as his eyes roamed over her. 'Please tell me what I did to deserve this pleasure?' The tiny uniform hugged her curves in all the right ways and showcased every perfect inch that she so modestly kept hidden.

'That was like 15 syllables' She rolled her eyes and tried to ignore the blush creeping over her cheeks.

'Is this my birthday gift?' He continued, watching as she moved about the kitchen, never making eye contact with him. He always knew Haley was beautiful. And when she came back from Italy and was standing in his apartment for the first time, he suddenly realized how sexy she was. But cheerleader Haley? With the short skirt and sparkles on her chest? _Next level sexiness._

'Let me see how high you can jump'

'Can you keep the outfit even after the game?'

'Shake your pom poms for me'

Nathan laughed, knowing he was making her uncomfortable but loving how flushed she was becoming. It made her so much sexier. She grabbed her apple from the fruit bowl and a bottle of water from the refrigerator before making her way to the front door, never once looking back at him.

'Can we take a selfie?' He called after her, laughing as she flipped him off and disappeared out the door.

She watched him as he walked across the court, a look of determination on his face. His brow was furrowed and his eyes were intense with focus. In that moment, it dawned on her that she hadn't watched him play basketball in years. _Years._ Sure, she saw highlights on television or glanced at articles in the paper, but she hadn't been in person for one of his games since freshman year. _Suddenly she was nervous._ Lucas came across the court next, adorning the same look of focus as Nathan. She took in the sight of them as they played, so tall, so built, so powerful..so much older than the last time she watched them. Haley could feel the nostalgia overwhelming her, a wave of emotions washing over her senses. _How had time passed so quickly?_ She swore if she closed her eyes tight enough and opened them again, the three would be back on the Rivercourt. Nathan and Lucas playing the game for hours while Haley sat dutifully on the picnic table, cheering for both at the same time. _She never could pick sides._ It was easier now that they were both on the same team, rather than battling each other.

The game got underway with UCLA having the initial lead. As soon as the Scott brothers started scoring points, Haley felt a sense of adrenaline running though her that had been absent since her Rivercourt days. She would cheer loudly each time the team scored, in tune with the other cheerleaders, but as soon as Nathan or Lucas scored, her voice trumped everyone else's. If they were fouled, she was the first one to yell words of encouragement at the free throw line and if the ref failed to identify a foul, or worse, made the wrong call, she was the first to reprimand him. Her antics caused the attention of the crowd and elicited laughter from all. Except Brooke.

'Haley!' Brooke exclaimed 'Get back in formation!' She shouted for the 5th time, demanding for her to return to her assigned spot. This was not what she had in mind when she enlisted Haley's help.

The game ended with UCLA winning 128 to 125, nearly a record high for the and Nathan had a combined 87 points, proving to be one of their most effective games played together. When Nathan scored the winning 3 pointer shot, it had felt like the building would collapse from the stampede of cheers and applause. The whole university erupted in celebration, eager to start the after game festivities. Most people were already on their way to the beach house, but Haley had taken her time in the locker room. The hot water of the shower felt too good to walk away from. The locker rooms were much nicer than she anticipated, and she wasn't in a rush to get to the party.

Haley walked out of the locker room about 45 minutes later dressed in jeans, a white tank top and her Nikes. The game took enough energy out of her, she had none left to configure an outfit. Brooke would be disappointed, yet again. She laughed in spite herself, Brooke definitely regretted asking her to fill in. The only thing worse than an injured cheerleader, was a rogue one. She rounded the corner of the gym and was surprised to find Nathan in the middle of the court, casually shooting layups.

'You're not tired of playing yet?' She threw out, coming into his field of vision

'Never' He answered, shooting the ball again and watching it sail through the hoop

'You and Lucas were great tonight' Haley complimented

'It was a good game' Nathan nodded 'I liked having a personal cheerleader' He winked at her, laughing when she rolled her eyes. He hadn't even really expected her to come to the game, much less be wearing a cheerleading uniform and taking on the ref.

'Yeah, I don't think they're going to ask me to fill in anymore. Brooke fired me'

'Maybe you can become a referee instead' He teased

Haley scoffed. 'I may have been a bit dramatic' She couldn't help it, supporting them during the game, feeling the adrenaline when they scored a point, becoming protective when they were fouled – it all came so natural from their childhood years together.

'Alright, let's try for a shooting guard position' Nathan dribbled the ball towards her before passing it. 'Make the shot'

Haley quirked her eyebrow, but accepted the challenge. She dribbled the ball forward, nearly losing her grasp on it. Nathan moved his feet to block her and she sidestepped him, pulling the ball up and launching it towards the hoop. She wasn't sure if she heard Nathan's laughter first or he sound of the ball hitting the scoreboard.

'Okay, never mind. You're fired from this too. Just take a seat in the stands'

Haley laughed, throwing her hands up in defeat. 'Just drive me to this party so I don't have to walk'

The party was at a rented beach house and both universities were there. You could hear the music for at least a mile away, and as you rounded the corner of the block, people could be seen everywhere.

'Want to hold my hand when we walk in? You can be my trophy wife' Nathan asked, parking his car in a long line of others.

Haley gagged in fake disgust 'Oh my god, how are you even going to fit through the door with the size of your ego?'

'Guess we'll have to go through the back'

'Well let me put these sunglasses on so I'm not blinded by all the pictures from the paparazzi' She joked with a serious tone, snatching Nathan's Ray Bans off the dashboard and sliding them on her face. She reached an arm behind the front seat, fumbling around on the floor of the back.

'What are you looking for?' Nathan asked, raising an eyebrow

'The red carpet. I know you must have one. I want to roll it out for you to walk on during your grand entrance'

Nathan laughed and shook his head, he never could outmatch her sarcasm. He exited the car and walked around to open the door for Haley, extending his hand for her to take.

'The king is opening the door for a mere peasant?' Haley gasped, feigning shock

'Are you sure you couldn't wear that cheerleading outfit to the party? I especially liked how the skirt rode up your hips when you would bend over' He countered, laughing at the instant blush that flamed on her cheeks

'You know I think its best we separate here. No need to damage either of our reputations' She laughed, pushing his hand away and dramatically swaying her hips as she walked ahead of him. 'Thanks for the glasses!' She called over her shoulder, disappearing into the crowd of people at the entrance of the house.

'Hey killer, didn't know you still knew the game' Lucas teased, walking up behind Haley

Haley spun around, a smile beaming across her face. 'My best friend was amazing!' She shrieked proudly, pulling Lucas into a hug before releasing him

'It's almost like I've been playing for years'

'Lucas, I'm sorry I stopped coming to your games' She said sincerely. 'That wasn't right'

'Trust me Hales, tonight definitely made up for it' He said, throwing his arm over her shoulders as they walked through the crowd.

'Well your girlfriend says I'm not allowed to be a temporary cheerleader anymore' Haley pouted, but was so relieved. Standing on the floor in front of the whole school was too much pressure. Brooke was too much pressure. She preferred to sit in the stand in sweats anyway, it was much more comfortable. Besides, she could yell at the ref just as loud sitting down.

Lucas laughed 'Come on, get a drink with me' He requested, leading them towards the kitchen.

The night took the same course as most of the other parties did, but there was just an influx of more people at this one. Everyone was either dancing, playing drinking games or lounging around one of what seemed like a hundred rooms in the house. Or of course, on the beach. Haley participated in enough rounds of drinking games, and definitely participated in more than enough drunk dancing for the night. Peyton and Jake disappeared into one of the bedrooms fairly early in the night, and Brooke had just kidnapped Lucas.

'Sorry Haley, you stressed me out way too much during that theatrical performance you put on during my routine, now Lucas needs to make it up to me' Brooke winked, grabbing Lucas by the collar of his shirt and leading him away without waiting for any response.

Haley scanned the crowd, looking for nobody in particular. She had been there for about 2 hours and it was about this time that she would normally cut out of the party and head home. She finished the last of her drink, feeling the warmth of the liquor spread though her body. She had barley ever drank in Tree Hill, let alone drink until she was drunk. The appeal was never there. Especially after witnessing the decompensation of Jimmy that drinking had led to. But ever since California, there was a newfound desire to participate. She liked the weightless feeling it provided, liked the carefree attitude she could adopt. It was refreshing not to be so uptight and stressed, so worried about classes or work or what everyone else was thinking. As long as she drank in moderation, and didn't turn into a raging lunatic, she didn't see an issue.

Haley continued through the house, a desire for fresh air more prominent now. She thought about refilling her cup first, but decided against it when she saw him on the porch. She smiled, surprised to see him by himself.

'You know, I almost lost your glasses during some card game. Had to make a quit exit, I barely escaped' Haley spoke as she came up to stand beside Nathan. He was leaning on railing of the porch, a bottle of beer dangling over the edge. He reveled in being the center of attention, loved having the focus on him. But even he needed a minute away from the noise every now and then.

Nathan laughed. 'What card game?'

'I don't know the name of it. I didn't understand how to play' Haley scrunched her nose, nearly all card games made little to no sense to her. Especially drinking ones.

'So you gambled with my glasses while not even understanding the game?' He questioned

'Well, yeah. I didn't want to risk anything of mine'

'Okay, well you clearly can no longer be trusted' Nathan determined, pulling the glasses off her head and laughing at the pout that instantly formed on her face. A couple strands of hair tangled in the frames and he struggled to get them out.

'Were gonna have to shave your head' It took him another few painstaking minutes but he finally managed to free her hair. Nathan push the strands out of her face, tucking them behind her ear as he watched her do countless times before.

They each turned to face the water again, both leaning against the railing, their bodies touching. The quiet between them proving to be more comfortable than before. Nathan took the last sip of his beer before letting it fall from his grasp, watching as it landed in the sand below.

'You know, I didn't realize how much I missed watching you play' Haley admitted, her voice was low and had it had not been for their close proximity, she would have been drowned out by the party.

Nathan looked at her from the side, surprised that her comment held no sarcasm at all. He nodded, he had missed looking up from the court and seeing her in the crowd.

'It meant a lot that you were there' Nathan said sincerely. 'Felt nice, kind of like old times..'

Haley smiled at him, his words registering with her in a way that was different than before. It _was_ nice. Again, they were quiet for a couple of minutes, each taking in the view of the ocean below while the music filled the night air. Suddenly Haley could feel a clarity of sort settle over her. As if all of the chaotic emotions she had felt for him seemed to lull and the only persistent thought was _it was nice._ She turned to face him, her eyes roaming over him in a new way. She loved the way his polo clung to his muscles, and the way his khaki shorts hung loose on his hips. She loved the way he never had product in his hair, yet it always appeared perfectly tousled. She loved, perhaps most of all, the way that no matter how dark it was outside, his bright blue eyes always sparkled.

'What are you..' He started to ask her what she was looking at so intently, but Haley cut him off

'Nathan' She started 'Maybe it's okay that we can't go back'

'Maybe were not meant be friends like before..'

Running his hand through his hair, he let out of frustrated sigh. 'Why do you keep saying shit like that? I know that you can see I'm trying' Every time he thought there was an inch of progress made between them, she seemed to take another step back. He wanted to walk away from her in that moment, he didn't want to fight or deal with a guilt trip from the past, it was all starting to get old. But something about the way she was looking up at him, kept him grounded in place.

'Maybe we're meant to be more..'

Haley stepped closer to him, bridging the gap between them. Her hand rested on his cheek, the heat from his skin radiating onto her. She trailed her fingers down his face, across his jawline and traced his perfectly smooth lips. She stared up at him, his blue eyes unblinking as he took in the feel of her delicate touch. Haley reached up, straining on her tip toes, and brought her lips to meet his. The movement was slow and soft, innocent. She brought her hand to his chest, mostly to steady herself, and could feel his heartbeat wildly against her palm. She smiled softly, her lips moving against his with more purpose now. She was seemingly aware that he had yet to respond, and her tongue danced across his bottom lip, begging for entrance. Another still moment passed and Haley paused her movements, ready to step back defeated. Nathan snaked his arm around her waist though, pulling her flush against him as his lips began to move in rhythm with hers. Haley locked her hands around his neck, pulling him down towards her. She moaned softly, losing herself in the intensifying passion. The kiss became feverish, Nathan's hand tangled in her hair securing her in place as he continued his assault against her lips. They each pulled away after another moment, breathless, their foreheads resting together.

'What..' Nathan began but was silenced by Haley's lips on his again. There was an urgency in the way her lips moved against his now, demanding his attention. He willingly obliged, parting her lips with his tongue as he took more control. Nathan ran his hands down her body, allowing them to rest on her hips for a moment before scooping her off the ground. Haley wrapped her legs around his waist, and her arms around his neck. She ran one hand through his hair, while the other gripped his back. Nathan could hear the moan escape her lips, eliciting one of his own. He walked them towards the wall of the house, leaning Haleys back against it while he continued to taste her. He pulled away only to leave a trail of hot kisses down her neck, just for a moment though, before Haley was guiding him back to her mouth.

The back door next to them slammed opened, a throng of rowdy partyers filing out, oblivious to what they were interrupting. Chaotic voices filled the air, everyone yelling and making noise. Nathan and Lucas' names were heard being chanted within the crowd, everyone eager to continue celebrating their schools leading stars. Haley could see Lucas already in the crowd that formed, while people were still chanting Nathans name unaware they had already passed him.

'Your fan base awaits' She spoke softly, her grasp loosening around his neck while her legs slid down his waist, until she was standing on the ground again. They were still pressed against one another, Nathan never broke his hold on her.

'Let them wait' He breathed against her, his lips coming down onto hers once again.

They stayed lost in one another for another long moment, an unexpected bliss taking over and propelling them into their own world. Both would have been more than glad to stay, had it not been for the constant chaos surrounding them. The once excited cheers in the background had turned more into screams and derogatory remarks, the word 'fight' echoing through the air.

Reluctantly, Nathan pulled away first, his head snapping back towards the water. He could see the crowd of people, he could see figures rolling in the sand and trading punches, what he couldn't see, was Lucas. Had he known for a fact that Lucas wasn't a part of the fight he would have grabbed Haley and taken her away without hesitation, back to their own world. But he couldn't.

He sighed, gritting his teeth. 'Haley..'

'Just be careful' Haley answered, knowing no amount of trying to talk him out of it would work.

He gave her a small smile before jumping over the railing of the porch and running towards the crowd.

**What did you guys think? Please R/R x0Laura**


	10. Holding On

**Thank you to everyone that has reviewed, it means everything to me ! Hope you all like this chapter :) **

**Chapter 10**

**Holding on**

'So are you going to be an adult or just keep avoiding me?' Haley asked, leaning her back against the sink and crossing her arms.

It had been almost a week since their less than expected make out session, and Nathan was keeping his distance as if she had the plague. She didn't expect them to wake up the day after in the middle of a happily ever after fairy tale, but she also didn't expect the kiss would send them back into the age of no communication. In all honesty, she didn't know what to expect at all..but this cold shoulder, no eye contact behavior was getting old. It was beginning to put into perspective how she had acted when she first arrived at the apartment, and she didn't appreciate it at all. Not to mentioned she refused to be treated like one of the girls that he took one look at, conquered, and then never looked at again.

'I'm not avoiding you' Nathan countered, taking a bite of his cereal, chewing slower than he needed to.

That whole night had sent his head spinning, he was not accustomed to that at all. Hook-ups were always a given for him at those types of parties, they were hardly worth a second thought. But hook-ups with Haley? That was new. That was different. That was complicated. He could remember how sweet she had tasted, how warm her touch was, the sensations she provoked while she ran her hands through his hair. He could remember wanting more of her. And how suddenly they were interrupted by a fight that Lucas ended up not even being a part of. He could remember the wave of disappointment that washed over him when he returned to the spot where he had left her, only to find her gone.

He was definitely not accustomed to disappointment.

Haley rolled her eyes, looking at him pointedly

'Okay, maybe I just don't know what to say' He relented

He was being honest. He didn't know what to say. He wasn't prepared for this situation. He could handle her ignoring him, being mad at him, actively trying to kill him with her death glares, but kissing him? He wasn't sure what to do with that.

'You can say anything. Just stop being weird'

'Okay' Nathan started. 'We were drinking. We kissed. It didn't mean anything, right? Let's just pretend it didn't happen' He suggested, dismissively. Nathan could feel the uneasiness settling in his stomach at his own words. He had so many questions, so many things he wanted to say. But what if asking questions made things awkward again? What if it caused a fight? What if he told her he wanted it to happen again and she didn't feel the same way? His ego wouldn't allow her to be the one with regret, he had to be the one that dismissed it.

Haley was quiet for a moment 'So it meant nothing to you?' She tried to keep her tone even, refusing to let on that it felt like a punch in the gut. She wasn't supposed to be one of those girls, she was supposed to be more.

'Did it mean something to you?' He countered. He made so many mistakes with her, he couldn't afford to make anymore. He wanted her to take the lead.

_Yes_

'No' She lied

'Okay' Nathan responded

'Okay' Haley echoed

Silence enveloped the room, an all too familiar awkwardness settling between them.

'Some of the guys are gonna come here tonight. Party, but small' Nathan threw out casually, as he walked towards the counter to drop off his now empty bowl. Nothing was worse than the awkward silence.

'Okay' Haley responded, pushing off the sink and walking back towards her bedroom.

'Okay' Nathan echoed

Haley got dressed for work and headed out, ignoring the fact that she was leaving an hour earlier than she needed to. She found herself at the girls' dorm room and let herself in without bothering to knock. Those pleasantries ceased to be needed. Brooke was sitting at her vanity, applying make-up and the shower was running in the bathroom.

'Oh good, maybe you being here will get Peyton to come out of the damn bathroom' Brooke rolled her eyes, her voice growing louder at the end of the statement. 'I swear she's been in here for almost an hour'

Haley laughed, flopping down onto Brooke's bed. She lifted the pink shaggy pillow from the stack of assorted pillows and hugged it to her chest. The room was quiet for a moment until Peyton made her way out of the bathroom, flicking her hair and sending a cascade of water droplets in Brooke's direction.

'So I kissed Nathan' Haley threw out nonchalantly

'YOU SLEPT WITH NATHAN' Brooke exclaimed, the eye shadow palate falling out of her hand as she jumped off the small stool and nearly flew through the air and onto her bed, making Haley bounce up.

'Absolutely not what I said, not at all' Her voice was relaxed, Brookes dramatic demeanor a familiar concept now.

Peyton raised her eyebrows and nodded, an approving smile stretching over her lips.

'Are you guys dating now? Did he promise to always love you? Is his world complete now..' Brooke rattled out the questions, her hands clapping together excitedly.

'He said it didn't mean anything to him' Haley deadpanned, cutting her off

Quiet for a minute, Brooke opened and closed her mouth a few times. It was rare that she didn't know what to say. 'Are you sure he said it in those words?'

'Well he asked me if it meant something to me. And I said no. And he said okay..' Haley said the words slow and carefully, still trying to gauge their responses for herself.

'So you're the one that said it meant nothing to you' Brooke clarified

'Yeah, but he agreed with me'

'No, he said _okay_. That is _not_ the same thing'

'Well either way he was avoiding me this whole last week. Then we had that riveting conversation this morning, now were back to not talking about it at all'

'Why ignore it? You clearly want it to happen again'

Haley sighed, covering her face with the pillow. 'Because Nathan isn't shy about females. If he wanted something else to happen it would have' She mumbled

'Why are you giving him all of the power?' Brooke shook her head. 'Besides, Nathan may not be shy about sleeping with females or going after a girl he wants at a bar, but he is shy about his feelings. And you are no bar girl'

'You're making excuses because you don't want to end up hurt' Brooke continued, her voice was soft but still held conviction.

'No. I just don't want to be stuck living in an apartment after making a complete fool of myself'

'So you'd rather just be stuck living in an apartment and be unhappy' Brooke countered.

'Haley you just started giving him the time of day again, he probably doesn't know what the right move to make is' Peyton rationalized, while towel drying her blonde curls.

She plopped down on her bed, clutching the other towel around her body. She had seen Haley and Nathan kissing at the party last week, but hadn't said anything about it. If there was one thing that she learned about Haley, it was that she needed time to openly talk about things. Once she was ready, she would open up. Peyton understood that and never felt the need to push or pressure her. Her initial reaction to the kiss was excitement, she knew it was something Haley had wanted to happen for a long time now. Even if Haley never actually admitted that to herself. But she was also a bit concerned. She knew that Nathan had a certain power over Haley that nobody else did. He was special to her. And he needed to understand that whatever did become of this newfound lust for each other, it would never just be _casual_ to Haley.

Haley sighed again. 'Well I don't know what the right move is either'

'So then just let things fall into place naturally' Peyton responded 'What is meant to be will be'

'Okay Peyton, enough fortune cookies for you' Brooke teased, laughing when Peyton flipped her off

'Well don't you guys have drama going on? I'd like to be distracted' Haley whined, desperate to think of something other than Nathan Scott. This whole week she had been replaying the kiss over and over. The way he tasted, the way he smelled, the way he felt. The thoughts were intoxicating. She needed a distraction, something to avert her attention to. She didn't want to focus on how good it felt to be so close to him because that meant she would have to confront the complicated and confusing mess that came along with it.

Brooke ran her hand through her hair, sighing heavily 'Lucas keeps taking my cinnamon tea'

Haley repeated the words slowly, her eyebrow quirking up. 'Lucas took your tea. That's your drama?'

'I need it for my health routine, it's essential to my complexion and he keeps drinking it without replacing the box' She defended.

'Wow. And you haven't broken up with him and burned all of his belongings yet?' Haley feigned shock before turning her attention to the blonde. 'Peyton..'

'Jake and I went to open mic night and he sang 'You're simply the best' for me' She replied, the smile never faltering from her face.

'So you're both drowning in love and affection and blissful happiness' Haley concluded

'If you are going to start wallowing in self-pity than I'm just going to tell Nathan how you want to rip his clothes off and take him to bed' Brooke sing-songed, moving to stand up from the bed.

Brooke caught the pillow that Haley had flung at her, but continued 'You know Haley, sooner or later you are going to have to let go of whatever is holding you back'

'It's not so easy Brooke'

'No, it's not. But the happiness you find when you free yourself from it, that's what's going to make everything worth it' She smiled, sitting back at the vanity and resuming her make-up routine.

Work had been excruciating to get through. Everyone seemed more annoying than usual, needier somehow. Brooke's words replayed in Haley's head all day, she knew that the brunette was right. That didn't make her thoughts any less muddled though. For so long she had wanted to explore another side of Nathan, to connect with him the one way she never had before. And now, despite all of the insecurities that were holding her back, she finally took a step in that direction. In that moment, there was nothing else but them. His hands, his lips, his breath on her neck. Now, back in realty, Haley was faced with the fact that there was still so much grey area between them. Not to mention the crippling demons of her past. She was pretty sure once that conversation was had, if ever, it would be a deal breaker. He would look at her as damaged, how could he not? Or worse, with pity.

Shaking the thoughts away, Haley walked through the cramped apartment, pushing past people and side stepping offers of shots. _So much for small. _She made her way into the bedroom, changing out of her work clothes and replacing them with simple cotton shorts and t-shirt. She felt no need to impress anybody, especially given the fact that the party was in her own apartment. After throwing her hair up in a messy bun and applying a minimal amount of lip gloss, she was content with her appearance. She thought about climbing into bed, tucking herself under the blankets and just going to sleep. But she knew the music was too loud to drown out and that someone would eventually knock on the door, so with one final longing look at her pillows, she opened the door and headed back into the mass of people.

She made her own drink and mingled with some of the people she recognized from school. It was surprising that Lucas wasn't there. But maybe not so surprising considering it was a Tuesday night. Lucas and Haley had that low key aspect of their personality in common. Each had a wild side, but were equally content with staying in and relaxing. Nathan never had that. Even when it was just the three of them back in the day, he always had a larger than life personality. He never knew downtime.

She hated that she found her eyes scanning the crowd for him, seeking him out.

'I was wondering when you were gonna show up'

His voice came from behind and Haley turned around to find him smirking down at her. She could tell he had been drinking for a while, his blue eyes hazy, but still beautiful.

'I've been here' She answered 'I'm surprised you didn't see me sooner in this _small_ crowd' She quirked her eyebrow up taking a sip of her drink.

'Yeah. Sorry, I uh, don't really know what happened' Nathan shrugged, looking around. The crowd had definitely grown bigger since the last time he evaluated it. His eyes came back to rest on her and he briefly wondered how she could be dressed so simple, yet be so damn sexy at the same time. How had he been oblivious to her this whole time?

'Do you want another drink?' Nathan threw out the question, but instead of waiting for a response he put his hand on her lower back and guided them towards the kitchen. Haley walked effortlessly with him, conscious of how warm his touch was.

Haley returned to the kitchen, but saw no sign of Nathan. Her eyes scanned the crowd until she settled upon his figure. He was standing outside on the crowded balcony, one hand holding his drink, the other moving animatedly as he discussed what was undoubtedly basketball stats. She made her way out the door, now noticing the group of people around the small table more clearly. At first she thought they were just playing cards, but the lines of white powder quickly became the only thing she could focus on.

'Why would you allow this shit here?' She pushed at his shoulder roughly, the words coming out of her mouth like venom. She could feel everyone elses eyes on her, but she didn't care.

'Chill, Haley' Nathan held up his hands defensively, taking a step back from her. He was surprised by the amount of anger radiating off of her small frame.

'Are you kidding me?' She held her ground, his response only made her angrier.

'What do you want me to say? You know it's not mine' He spit back. 'It's a party' He shrugged, throwing his hand over her head, indicating the mass amount of people, as if she somehow forgot where she was.

He had no control over what people chose to do at parties, nor did he really care. He could regulate the scene more if he really wanted to but that required extra effort that he just did not want to dish out. Besides if he started laying out rules the entire atmosphere would be changed, which in turn meant his title would be jeopardized and that was not something he was willing to gamble with yet. Nathan wasn't into drugs, mostly because of the restrictions basketball enforced on him, and partly because he knew he was better than that. He had too much to lose. But he was nobody's keeper.

'You're a fucking athlete Nathan, have some sense' Haley seethed, pushing past him and entering back into the house. She grabbed a bottle of Jack Daniels off of the counter and promptly made her way out the front door, ignoring the prying eyes of her unwanted guests. She walked the familiar path down to the beach, her body almost on autopilot at that point. She didn't love the weather being hot all of the time, but she definitely loved the seemingly never ending miles of beaches. Not only was the coastline beautiful to look at it, but it was the perfect place to escape to. Nothing like the immensity of the ocean to make you realize how small your existence was. Or to drown out your thoughts. She trailed though the water for a couple moments, enjoying the coldness on her feet, before plopping down into the sand. She sipped from the bottle slowly, allowing her mind to travel anywhere but back to Tree Hill.

'Hey'

She didn't have to open her eyes to know who it was. She would have been able to pick out his voice in a crowd of a thousand strangers. 'Party over already?'

'Yeah. 1am I think that's a record for me' His eyes roamed over her, taking in the way her shirt had ridden up, revealing her stomach; the way her fingers lightly steadied the bottle as it sat in the sand.

If it was already after 1am, she had to have been on the beach for over an hour. It didn't feel like that long though. Time always seemed to slow down on the shore. The silence between them was less awkward before, less tension than she though would be there considering their argument. It wasn't his fault, she knew that. And she may have overreacted, she knew that too. But she never wanted to be around cocaine again after seeing how it fueled the entire nightmare she had been trapped in for so long. She knew Nathan would never partake, but still. What if something happened and cops showed up? Nathan would be in trouble for it. She needed him to be smart. He had too much potential.

'I just don't want to be around that stuff, Nathan' Her voice was low, her eyes still closed

He studied her face, knowing that she was serious. He wanted to ask her when she had ever been around that scene before, what was her experience with it? What happened to make her be so resolute in her decision? But it was late and he was tired. So, instead he took a sip from the bottle and placed his curiosity on the seemingly growing list of questions he was saving 'for another time'.

'You were right' He shrugged in the darkness. 'I keep saying I'm going to take a break from the parties, I just haven't done so yet'

'All about moderation' Haley answered

'I'll make sure it doesn't happen again' His voice was sterner this time. He had been around his fair share of risky scenes within all his days of partying, it never really bothered him. He always seemed to have more willpower than most, he was never tempted. But he was also acutely aware of the fact that he no longer lived alone and he didn't want to make Haley uncomfortable.

She turned her head to the side to face him, her eyes opening for the first time. 'Thank you' She responded genuinely.

Nathan smiled down at her. 'Let's get home'

Haley nodded and he outstretched his hand to help her up. She giggled as she stumbled forward in the sand. Nathan steadied her and she laughed louder as she continued the struggle to find her footing. The liquor was warming her from the inside out, the chill of the night air ceasing to bother her.

'This is your fault you know' Haley teased, pointing a finger into his chest several times

'Me?'

'You took too long to come get me'

'And what if I didn't come? What if I didn't cut my party short to come rescue my damsel in distress?'

'I would have gotten home' Haley declared. 'I bet I can even run faster than you right now. You just pulled me up too fast' She challenged

'I don't even think you can _crawl_ faster than me when we're sober, much less_ run_ faster now'

'Oh yeah? I bet I can make it to the wooden walkway before you' Haley claimed, referring to the small portion of boardwalk that led down from the main street to the sand.

'And when you're face first, eating sand in 15 feet, what do I win?'

'We'll discuss it at the finish line!' Haley called out, taking off down the beach without warning. She could hear Nathan approaching behind her and she propelled herself forward, willing her short legs to carry her the remaining distance. Nathan laughed as he caught up, surprised at how fast she really was moving. The walkway was only a couple feet in front of them now, he thought about sprinting forward and securing his victory but intentionally slowed his pace, allowing Haley to take a miniscule lead.

Haley threw her hands up triumphantly, reaching the walkway first

'Alright so what did you win?'

'Psh a ride back, I'm tired!' Haley huffed out, exhausted and out of breath. She stood behind him and tapped his shoulders, indicating for him to pick her up. They both laughed, but Nathan obliged. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs wound around his waist as she hugged herself into him. Nathan started the short trek back, reshifting Haley's weight every couple of minutes to secure his hold on her.

'Have you been using my conditioner?' Haley pondered, inhaling the familiar sweet scent from her place on his shoulder

'What are you the only one who can have lusciously shiny hair?' He mocked, quoting the bottle

'For 30$ a bottle, yes I am the only one allowed'

They came up to the apartment complex and Nathan paused in front of the main door, waiting for her to hop off. 'Stop trying to cheat, I said allll the way back!' Haley emphasized. Before Nathan could respond, Haley spoke again. 'Onward Jeeves!' She instructed, laughing into his shoulder.

They made their way into the apartment and Nathan again attempted to place Haley down on the floor, but her arms tightened around his neck. 'Don't give up yet, were almost there' Haley said, pointing at her bedroom

'I didn't realize this was door to bed service'

'Yup, don't underestimate my athletic ability next time'

Nathan scoffed and made his way down the hallway. He opened the bedroom door and stepped inside, immediately tripping over something in the unfamiliar space. He lurched forward, struggling to secure his balance before falling onto the bed. Haley toppled forward, laughing in hysterics as they fell. Nathan began to chuckle, her laughter proving to be contagious. She moved off of him after a moment and situated herself with her head on the pillow.

'Crash Landing' Haley gasped out in between laughs, she made the sound effects of a car crash, eliciting another chuckle from Nathan.

'Like you could have done any better' Nathan shifted his body so he was laying next to her, one leg hanging off the side of the bed.

'You're like a hip – hip hop – hip-hop-potamus, we wouldn't have even made it off the beach' Haley joked, her eyes had drifted closed but the smile was still firmly planted on her lips

'Oh I'm going to remember that' Nathan retorted. Their laughter subsided, each succumbing to the fatigue of the day. His eyes wondered over to her again, smiling softly at how content she looked.

'Goodnight, Haley' Nathan called out quietly, moving to stand up from the bed

'Nate' Haley spoke, her voice only above a whisper

'Yeah?'

'Stay' She requested, her hand reaching for his to bring him back down next to her.

The two laid side by side, Haley with her knees drawn towards her chest, and Nathan with his legs outstretched in front of him. He could hear her breathing had evened out and he knew she was fast asleep. He studied her for a moment, the way her chest rose and feel with each breath, the way that one piece of hair fell across her face even while asleep. He couldn't remember the last time they had fallen asleep together. It used to be a regular occurrence, back when things were simpler. He pulled their still clasped hands up to his mouth, leaving a light kiss on the back of hers. Sighing contently, he laid their hands over his chest and closed his eyes, drifting into sleep.

**Please R/R! x0Laura**


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